Jacksonville at North Florida
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — Jacksonville and North Florida meet Sunday in the finale of a four-game ASUN series at John Sessions Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for the afternoon before shifting to evening due to a forecast of rain and 67-degree temperatures.
The Dolphins (25-19) and Ospreys (25-19) enter play with identical overall records, but North Florida has dominated this season series. The Ospreys took the first two games in Jacksonville in March — 12-6 and 11-4 — before winning Friday’s opener 5-4. A Saturday result between the clubs was not immediately available, but North Florida’s recent 4-0 edge in head-to-head meetings has given the Ospreys a clear advantage.
Sunday’s pitching matchup features two of the conference’s most effective arms.
Right-hander Alex Walsh gets the start for Jacksonville. In four recent outings, Walsh has been erratic: He allowed three earned runs in 3 ⅔ innings in Friday’s loss to North Florida, but tossed six shutout innings against Queens on April 24 and four scoreless frames at Florida Gulf Coast on April 10. Walsh has 18 strikeouts over his last 17 ⅔ innings.
North Florida counters with Dakota Stone, who has been nearly untouchable. The right-hander earned the win Friday, allowing one earned run on one hit over seven innings with four strikeouts. Over his last four starts — all wins — Stone has posted a 1.73 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 26 innings, including a two-hit, seven-strikeout performance April 24 at Florida Gulf Coast.
The Ospreys’ offense has been sparked by first baseman Jackson Toberman, who went 3-for-3 with an RBI in Friday’s win. North Florida’s bullpen also held strong in that game, with Brandon Adams recording a key out.
Jacksonville has won five of its last six games overall, including a midweek victory at Florida and a three-game sweep of Queens. The Dolphins’ lineup has produced double-digit runs in two of their last three home series against West Georgia and Queens.
A game simulator by Interstat projects an 8-5 Jacksonville victory.
Following Sunday’s game, Jacksonville travels to Florida State on Tuesday, while North Florida heads to Florida for a midweek contest. The Dolphins then open a three-game ASUN series at Stetson on Friday, and the Ospreys visit Queens for a three-game set beginning the same day.