Sunday, March 19, 2006

Johnson City, Tenn. (March 19, 2006) - North Florida utilized a pair of five run innings, and exploded offensively, pounding out 18 hits off of five Buccaneer pitchers as the Ospreys salvaged the series finale 18-2 Sunday afternoon at Cardinal Park.

Leading 2-1 entering the fourth inning, North Florida tagged ETSU starter Tony Lombardi (Windsor, Calif.) and reliever Darren Caldwell (Spartanburg, S.C.) for five runs on five hits with shortstop Matt Oxendine breaking the inning open with a one-out three-run blast to left field staking the Ospreys to a 6-1 lead.

The Ospreys (13-11, 6-3) effectively put the game away with three runs over the next two innings, but erased any doubt with five more runs in the seventh.  Pinch hitter Chad Knight delivered the crushing blow with another three-run homer; this one off of reliever Jonathan Stoudt (Marietta, Ga.).

Lombardi (0-6) threw 3 1/3 innings and struck out two, but picked up his sixth loss of the season.  Brad Johnson went seven innings for the Ospreys, striking out four and improving to 2-1 for the season.

Junior C.J. Lee (Bristol, Va.) went 3-for-4 and had the Bucs only RBI on the day, extending his hitting streak to 12 games.

The Bucs return to action Wednesday, March 22 at home against Appalachian State.  First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.