The opening game of the ASUN Championship unfolded in DeLand, Florida, where the top-seeded North Florida Baseball team faced off against No. 4‑seeded North Alabama.
A Slow Start for the Ospreys
North Alabama struck first, scoring a run in the top of the first inning and extending the lead with additional tallies in the fourth and fifth frames to build a 6‑0 cushion.
Key Performances
Carter White led the offensive charge, finishing 2‑for‑3 with a solo home run and a triple, while Boone Hosey went 2‑for‑4 with a run and a walk, and Mitchell Collins added a 2‑for‑4 line that included a run scored. On the mound, Dakota Stone recorded six strikeouts across his first 3.2 innings.
A Late Surge Falls Short
The Ospreys rallied in the bottom of the seventh when White’s solo homer trimmed the deficit to 6‑1, and a three‑run burst in the eighth cut the score to 7‑4. Coach Mathew Farner, pitcher Sean Benjamin, reliever Gialdri Gomez, infielder Tripp Patterson and utility player Wes Walker watched the comeback unfold from the dugout.
Final Inning Decisiveness
North Alabama answered in the ninth with four runs, sealing the game at 11‑4 and ending the Ospreys’ hopes of an immediate turnaround.
What’s Next
The team now prepares for an elimination game scheduled for Friday, May 22 at 10 a.m. ET, facing the loser of the FGCU and Lipscomb matchup in a bid to stay alive in the tournament.