With three players listed as catchers in the starting lineup, it's no surprise offense gave way to pitching and defense in UF's Tuesday night matchup with North Florida (9-15) in Jacksonville.
The Gators (14-8) started Hampton Tignor at catcher, Buddy Munroe at designated hitter and Teddy Foster at first base and played the Ospreys 0-0 into the bottom of the eighth inning when UNF scored 3 unearned runs and defeated UF 3-0 in the first game of the midweek home-and-home series.
Freshman Greg Larson took the mound for UF in the eighth inning and UNF catcher David Eldredge pinch-hit to lead off the inning.
Eldredge hit a ground ball to second baseman Clayton Pisani, who allowed the hitter to reach base on an error.
Robbie Collier laid down a sacrifice bunt, which moved Eldredge to second base before Larson got the next batter to pop up to Tignor for the second out. A wild pitch moved him to third and UF coach Kevin O'Sullivan brought in junior Tony Davis to try to keep the Ospreys off the board.
Davis walked a batter then gave up the go-ahead run to senior Brian Wilson, who singled through the left side.
UNF added 2 more runs against Davis before the lefty was able to get out of the inning.
Pisani reached on an error to lead off the top of the ninth, but the next three hitters went down in order to end the game.
UF's best chance to score came in the first inning when it loaded the bases with two outs, but Foster flied out to right to end the threat.
The Gators wasted a solid start from freshman Anthony DeSclafani, who went five innings while allowing just two hits and one walk.
The teams will meet again tonight at 6:35 in McKethan stadium.
LOCKE BACK WITH TEAM: A UF spokesman released a statement before Tuesday's game saying that senior pitcher Stephen Locke rejoined the team before the home-and-home series with UNF.
Locke was kicked off the team before the season after being charged with a DUI, but the charges have been dropped and he has been placed back on the team's official roster.
He did not pitch Tuesday night.
Locke posted a 5-2 record and 3.17 ERA while starting 12 games last season, the second most on the team.
