Jacksonville Dolphins advance in ASUN tournament after defeating Austin Peay
Alex Walsh earns win as Jacksonville prepares to face North Alabama in single-elimination play
Jacksonville University’s baseball team has secured its place in the second round of the ASUN tournament, defeating Austin Peay 7-1 in the opening match at Melching Field in DeLand. The Dolphins advanced through a decisive offensive surge in the sixth inning, overcoming a 1-1 tie to claim the victory.
The game remained deadlocked until the bottom of the fifth inning, when Austin Peay’s Cole Johnson scored Kyler Proctor via a fielder’s choice to tie the contest. Jacksonville responded immediately, with third baseman Logan Baratta hitting a 396-foot home run against Austin Peay pitcher Cody Airington to take the lead.
Jacksonville extended its advantage in the sixth inning, scoring four runs through a combination of singles from Sammy Mummau and Roger Vergara, an RBI double by Derek Bermudez, a walk to Abdriel Delgado, and a two-run single from Conner Spelman. Left fielder Blake Edmonds contributed significantly, going 3 for 3 and reaching base four times, while Vergara, Bermudez, Baratta, and Spelman each recorded two hits.
Alex Walsh earned the win for Jacksonville, pitching five innings and allowing five hits, one run, and two walks while striking out five batters. The Dolphin bullpen maintained the shutout in the final innings, with Ayden Phillips closing out the game with two scoreless frames.
Jacksonville University, entering the tournament with a 30-24 record, will face fourth-seed North Alabama in a single-elimination second-round match on Wednesday, 20 May, at 2pm. The winner of that contest is scheduled to play top seed North Florida on 21 May, potentially setting up a semifinal rivalry known as the River City Rumble. Austin Peay, which entered with a 24-31 record, was eliminated from the tournament.
