It was a night of the familiar and the unfamiliar for pitcher Kyle Mullaney.
The familiar included a two-run homer by North Florida left fielder Andy Warren in the top of the second that had the McKethan Stadium crowd experiencing déjà vu.
The unfamiliar was Mullaney settling down after a rough two innings and looking like the ace UF expected since its opener against Siena.
The Jacksonville native hurled a season-high six innings and recorded a career-high five strikeouts in the Gators' 5-3 win against North Florida.
Mullaney is hoping this is the solid outing he needs to turn his season around.
"My confidence never really went away, but I was scuffling there for a little bit," he said. "I knew I would bounce back, and it definitely should have been sooner than this. I just need to build off of this and keep battling."
UF entered Tuesday night's contest having lost five of its last six games, and it appeared destined to continue the same self-inflicted ailments of poor pitching and defense that plagued it through that stretch.
The Ospreys used two singles and a bunt to load the bases after Warren's home run. Mullaney promptly walked right fielder Preston Hale, giving the Ospreys a 3-0 lead.
"I was a little nervous when we fell behind. I thought we were seeing a replay of last time we played them," UF coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "Kyle's change-up improved tonight, which got him off his fastball a little bit, so hopefully he'll get it back."
Catcher Buddy Munroe sparked a third-inning rally with a single to third base and advanced to second on a throwing error. Matt den Dekker drove Munroe in with a double down the left-field line. Den Dekker didn't have to wait very long to get home, as Cole Figueroa smacked a 2-0 pitch through the right side to bring him home.
Josh Adams continued UF's offensive onslaught on North Florida's pitching staff as he laced a double to right-center to bring Figueroa home.
Right fielder Jonathan Pigott gave the Gators the lead in the bottom of the seventh with a single through the left side that drove in Bryson Barber.
Pigott had one hit in his last 25 at-bats prior to his hit.
"You've just got to keep focused and keep working at it," he said. "You know the game is going to come back to you at some point.
UF and North Florida complete their three-game season series Wednesday night at 6:30.
