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HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Corbin Olmstead surrendered just one run and scattered eight hits to lead the University of North Florida baseball team to an 8-1 victory over Northern Kentucky University in Atlantic Sun Conference action on Sunday at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex.
Olmstead, who started the first two games of the series as the designated hitter, struck out five and did not walk a batter in his first career complete-game victory for North Florida, which improved to 12-11 overall and 4-2 in the Atlantic Sun. He also finished 2-for-5 from the plate and scored twice.
Kyle Brooks went 3-for-4 with four runs, one RBI and a stolen base, while Drew Weeks put together a 2-for-3 performance to go with one run scored for the Ospreys, who pounded out 13 hits and left seven runners on base.
North Florida wasted no time getting into the scoring column in the first inning. Olmstead sent the second pitch of the game through the left side, and he advanced to second on a passed ball. Brooks then reached base and went to third as NKU starter
Adam Jafine gathered the bunt attempt and threw the ball by
Zac Asman, who was covering first base, and Olmstead scored on the miscue.
Weeks was hit by a pitch, and Brooks gave the Ospreys a 2-0 lead when he scored as Trent Higginbothem grounded into a double play.
Caleb Kellogg continued his recent success at the plate with a double in the bottom of the fourth inning, which extended his hitting streak to seven games, to bring Asman, who singled up the middle and stole second to set up the play, across home plate to cut the NKU deficit in half (2-1).
After Jafine retired seven straight North Florida batters, including three strikeouts in the top of the fifth, the Ospreys regained a two-run lead when Brooks scored on an Alex Bacon single after leading off the frame with a double to give North Florida a 3-1 advantage after six innings of play.
The Ospreys struck again in the eighth to stretch their lead even further. Brooks singled to right field with one out, and he advanced to second on a Weeks infield single. Higginbothem drew a walk to load the bases and end the day for Jafine, who was replaced on the mound by
Jake Shaw.
Brooks then scored as Bacon reached on a fielder's choice with Higginbothem out on the play, and Weeks scored on a single by pinch hitter Nick Karmeris to take a 5-1 advantage.
North Florida added three runs on four hits in the top of the ninth inning for the final margin of the game.
Asman and
David Head led the way for NKU, which fell to 5-16 on the year and 1-2 in the Atlantic Sun, each with 2-for-4 performances.
Jordan Procyshen stretched his hitting streak to a team-high nine games with his single in the eighth inning, and Kellogg,
Kyle Colletta and
Josh Myers also recorded hits for the Norse, who left eight base runners stranded.
Jafine (0-4) took the loss for NKU, but he put together his longest outing of the season, going 7.1 innings. He allowed five runs but only were three earned on eight hits and collected five strikeouts, while walking just two batters.
NKU returns to the Bill Aker Baseball Complex for a pair of nonconference midweek games, starting Tuesday as the Norse welcome Cincinnati to the field for the first time since the 1996 season. NKU will then host Morehead State on Wednesday. First pitch for both days is scheduled for 3.p.m. Links to live stats and John Asalon's audio broadcast for both contests will be available at nkunorse.com.
