The University of North Florida baseball team is making a strong statement in the ASUN Graphite Division this season, and their latest series win over Jacksonville University only adds to the momentum. Over the weekend of May 1-3, the Ospreys faced off against the Dolphins in a highly anticipated home series, ultimately claiming victory two games to one. The rubber match on May 3 was a decisive 10-0 win that ended after seven innings, giving UNF five wins in six meetings with their crosstown rivals this season.
The series win was particularly impressive given how hot JU had been coming in. After being swept by UNF earlier in the season, the Dolphins had responded by winning 13 of their last 15 games. But the Ospreys were ready, cooling off that red-hot stretch and proving once again why they are the team to beat in the division.
With a 26-20 overall record and a 17-7 mark in conference play, UNF now holds a commanding 3.5-game lead over Florida Gulf Coast in the ASUN Graphite Division. They are also two games ahead of North Alabama, the Gold Division leader, in the race for the ASUN regular season title. The Ospreys have also secured the tie-breaker in the season series against three of their closest divisional rivals: FGCU (29-17, 13-10), JU (26-20, 13-11), and Stetson (18-29, 9-14).
Looking ahead, UNF will travel to face Queens (13-33, 9-15) on May 8-10 before wrapping up the regular season at home against West Georgia (13-35, 10-14) on May 14-16. With six games remaining, the Ospreys are in prime position to make a deep postseason run.
As an added bonus, the series win over the Dolphins also clinched the River City Rumble all-sports competition for North Florida for the third consecutive year and the seventh time in the last eight years—a testament to the program's sustained excellence.
Game 1 Recap: UNF 5, JU 4
The series opener was a thriller. After the Dolphins rallied in the ninth inning to tie the game 3-3, the Ospreys answered back in the bottom half. Jackson Toberman delivered the game-winning hit, singling up the middle to score pinch-runner Seth Alford. Sean Benjamin of Fernandina Beach sparked the rally with a one-out double. JU had tied the game on RBI doubles by Blake Edmonds and Sammy Mummau, plus an RBI groundout by Cade Walter. Clay graduate Brandon Adams (5-1) earned the victory in relief, striking out Roger Vergara to end the Dolphins' ninth-inning threat. Starter Dakota Stone, a Sandalwood graduate, also contributed to the strong pitching effort.
For Ospreys fans, this series was a reminder of just how deep and resilient this team is—qualities that will serve them well as they chase an ASUN title.