JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — The North Florida Ospreys erupted for seven runs in a chaotic first inning and rode a dominant start from Trevor Nikolis to an 11-4 victory over the Jacksonville Dolphins in ASUN Conference baseball Saturday at John Sessions Stadium.

The Ospreys (15-12, 2-0 ASUN) sent 11 batters to the plate in the opening frame, capitalizing on a Jacksonville error and wild pitching to build an insurmountable lead against the Dolphins (12-15, 0-2). The game’s decisive moment came immediately, as North Florida batted around and scored seven times before Jacksonville recorded an out.

Mitchell Collins and Matthew Farner led off with singles. After a strikeout, Gialdri Gomez reached on a fielder’s choice that saw Farner advance on a throwing error by first baseman Sam Grunberg, allowing Collins to score the first run. Sean Benjamin followed with a single to load the bases for Seth Alford, whose single to left brought Farner home. Carter White then cleared the bases with a three-run double to right-center field, making it 6-0. The Ospreys added two more runs via a wild pitch and a passed ball before the inning concluded.

North Florida added single runs in the third and fourth innings, with Farner and Santiago Ordonez each driving in a run. Jacksonville’s only offense against Nikolis came on a solo home run by Logan Baratta in the fourth inning. The Dolphins scored two unearned runs in the seventh on a two-run double by Sammy Mummau after an error by third baseman Gomez extended the inning.

Nikolis (2-1) earned the win with a commanding performance, allowing just two earned runs on four hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out one, effectively scattering the limited Jacksonville contact. His outing provided crucial stability after a short relief appearance in his previous game against Florida Gulf Coast.

Kai Etwaru closed the game with three perfect innings of relief, striking out two to secure the series win for North Florida.

Offensively, the Ospreys racked up 14 hits. Farner led the way, going 4-for-6 with an RBI and two runs scored. White finished 2-for-5 with his three first-inning RBIs, and Ordonez added two doubles and an RBI.

For Jacksonville, starter Payton Waters (1-3) took the loss, recording only one out while surrendering six runs, five earned, on five hits. The Dolphins used six pitchers, with relievers Gavin Dicks, Logan Hartman and Grant Brooks combining for five scoreless innings and eight strikeouts after the fourth. Dicks was particularly sharp, allowing just one hit and striking out five over three innings.

The victory gives North Florida a 2-0 edge in the weekend series after a 4-2 win Friday. The teams conclude the three-game set Sunday afternoon. The Ospreys’ next game is at home Tuesday against Georgia Southern, while Jacksonville travels to face Florida on Tuesday.

The result defied the pregame projections from Interstat, whose game simulator had predicted a 5-3 North Florida win, while its ELO system gave Jacksonville a 58% probability of victory.