Box Score Jacksonville, Fla. --- The Georgia Southern baseball team (7-6, 0-0SBC) fell to the the Dolphins of Jacksonville (5-7, 0-0 A-SUN) 13-11 on an extremely windy Wednesday night in the River City (March 5th).
After Georgia Southern stranded a runner on third, which was a common occurrence on the night, the Dolphins proved how much the wind was a factor right out of the gate. Leadoff man Jaden Bastion was helped by nearly 40 miles per hour gusts of wind to launch a solo homer to take the lead. They would add two more onto their lead the very next inning, using a string of hits and passed balls delivered by the Eagles to push it to 3-0.
For the Eagles though, their offense would be potent as well. After a leadoff single and a walk,
JP Herrholz delivered a double to deep center to score just one after a laser from the Dolphin centerfielder would blank one. However,
JD Kaiser would double down the right line to score two and tie it back up. The Eagles would complete their five-run top of the third with a two-run shot to left field that would see them take back the lead.
The long ball would be a factor all night as Josh Stiedl delivered a leadoff homer to put it within one before Blake Edmonds would do it again the very next inning to start the bottom of the fourth and would score again off another wild pitch. Then, after two walk and a hit batter thrown by two separate pitchers, Chandler Howard would turn on a pitch and have a grand slam to make it 10-5 early. The Dolphins would extend their lead all the way to six the next inning, as Clayton Hodges mashed another leadoff homer.
The Eagles would finally start their comeback in the sixth off a two-RBI homer from
Josh Tate to straight away center. Then, a walk and two singles would load up the bases for Southern. JD Kasier and
Nico Senese both reach aboard to score two more to cut the deficit to just two. Their next inning at the dish, two walks and a beautiful sac bunt would put two runners in scoring position. A gifted wild pitch the next batter would score one before an error by the JU third baseman would plate the tying run off the bat of Herrholz to make it 11-11 going into the stretch.
However, for the fifth inning out of the seven innings for the Dolphins, the leading batter of the inning would hit one over the fence. This time, it was Sammy Mummau to take back the lead. In the eighth, the Eagles would have their chance after two singles would put Eagles at the corners. However, a high-bouncing ball to third base would see the Dolphin fielder fire to home and eliminate the tying run. To add more insult to injury, the Dolphins would plate one more in the eighth after a single and a passed by would lead to a man in scoring position, who be scored from a Stiedl single to left field.
Although getting the leadoff man on in the ninth, a double play would end the ball game, letting the Dolphins defeat the eagles for the first time in the ir last 16 tries. Next, the Eagles return back home for a weekend series against the Brown Bears. First pitch on Friday night against the Ivy League squad is set for 6:30 p.m. at J.I. Clements Stadium.
