Tigers Fall at North Florida Saturday

Saturday, March 17

Jacksonville, Fla.

1:05 p.m.

University of Memphis

6-13

North Florida

10-11

Memphis

North Florida

Mar 17, 2018 | Baseball

Box Score

Series finale Saturday at 12:05 p.m.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Memphis had the tying run at the plate in the ninth inning but came up just short again, 7-5, to North Florida Saturday at Harmon Stadium. The Tigers (6-13) will try to salvage the series Sunday at 12:05 p.m. (CT).

In the top of the ninth, Kyle O'Keefe hammered a ball to left field that would have been a game-tying home run but it was caught by the Ospreys left fielder to end the game.

The two-run loss is Memphis' ninth this season by two or less runs.

The middle of the Tigers' batting order combined for nine of the 10 hits on the day. Kyle Ouellette was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and on RBI, Colton Neel went 2-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI and Alec Trela was 3-for-4 with two RBI.

North Florida jumped in front 1-0 on three hits in the first inning, which would be foreshadowing for Jonathan Bowlan's day.

The Ospreys tagged Bowlan for four runs on 12 hits in 3.1 innings pitched. He struck out six batters and walked none.

The Tigers got the offense started early, plating two runs in the second inning. Trela drove in Cale Hennemann and Colton Neel with a two-run double to left-center field.

The Ospreys pounded out three more runs on six hits in the third inning to take a 4-2 lead.

Kyle Ouellette started the fourth with a solo home run to left field that trimmed the North Florida lead to 4-3.

North Florida loaded the bases with one out in the fourth to chase Bowlan out of the game. Alex Smith was able to come out of the bullpen to get the Tigers out of the jam.

The Tigers knotted the game up 4-4 with a run in the sixth inning. Ouellette and Neel both singled to get the run across.

North Florida came right back though and retook the lead 6-4. The Ospreys tacked on an insurance run in the eighth to go up 7-4.

Keith Stepter hit a pinch-hit homer in the top of the ninth to cut the lead to 7-5.