Box score

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.  – North Florida left fielder Garrick Ferguson delivered a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 13th inning for a 7-3 win and series sweep of University of South Alabama baseball Sunday at Harmon Stadium.

UNF (11-4) loaded the bases in the 13th inning on a leadoff double by Andrew Karmeris, intentional walk to Tyler Marincov and single by Ryan Roberson before Ferguson hit Jaime Dennis’ 1-1 pitch over the left-center field fence.

Dennis (0-2) suffered the loss in 4 1/3 innings pitched, allowing four runs on six hits with four strikeouts and one walk. Evan Stermer earned the win in 3 2/3 innings in relief, and allowed just one hit and struck out three.

South Alabama (4-12) held a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, but the Ospreys loaded the bases with no outs following a Jaguar error and two consecutive singles, and tied the game in the bottom of the ninth on RBI singles by Matthews and Roberson. Dennis then entered in relief of Kyle Bartsch and recorded a strikeout and induced an inning-ending double play.

The Jags trailed by a run after a second-inning leadoff home run by Marincov, but answered with three runs in the top of the sixth on RBI singles by Jordan Patterson and Dustin Dalken and a bases-loaded wild pitch by UNF starter Tommy Organ.

USA starter Anthony Izzio allowed one run on three hits with seven strikeouts and two walks, but did not factor in the decision after UNF’s two-run ninth inning. Izzio retired 14 of the final 17 batters he faced in the game.

Whitt Dorsey went 4-for-4 with a run scored to lead South Alabama at the plate. Dustin Dalken had two hits and an RBI, and Patterson finished with a hit and one RBI.

Marincov went 3-for-5 with a homer, one RBI and two runs scored to lead UNF offensively. Roberson finished 3-for-6 with an RBI and one run scored.

South Alabama will return to action Tue., March 13, when it hosts Auburn in a 6:30 p.m. contest at Stanky Field.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com.  Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

-USA-


NOTES:  Dorsey recorded the first four-hit game of his career and his third multiple-hit game of the season … Dalken recorded his first career multi-hit game … Patterson and Nick Zaharion extended their on-base streaks to 13 games each … The series marked the first time the Jags have been swept in a three-game set since dropping three games at Florida International last season … USA fell to 1-3 all-time against North Florida with Sunday’s loss.