The University of North Florida baseball team, ranked No. 21 in the nation, rebounded in a big way from its four-game losing streak.

UNF got help after beating Flagler College 7-4 Wednesday, Feb. 16, and taking two of three games from Peach Belt Conference opponent Georgia College and State University over the weekend.

Against Flagler, junior designated hitter Brennan Grogan, a University of Notre Dame transfer, led all UNF hitters, going 3-4 with a double and two RBIs against the Saints. Senior right-hander Tony Polster started and pitched seven strong innings, allowing two earned runs while striking out eight and walking none.

During the weekend series, UNF (7-5, 2-4 PBC) bounced back strong in conference play, defeating 18th-ranked Georgia College 9-4 and 3-1 Saturday, while dropping Sunday’s game 0-4.

In game one, the Ospreys lit up the scoreboard early and often, torching the Bobcat pitching for 12 hits with five doubles. Senior third baseman Jon Skorupski was the leading hitter, going 3-4 with a double and three RBIs. In all, 21 Osprey batsmen reached base. Sophomore Colin Fender came on and got the win, throwing four and a third innings of stellar relief, holding Georgia College to two hits and no runs, while striking out four.

Pitching was the name of the game for UNF in the nightcap, as senior Kyle Aylor (2-0) and sophomore Josh Papelbon (three saves) combined to hold the Bobcats to one run on six hits, while striking out nine. Lead-off hitter Josh Howard went 2-4 with a double and a triple and scored two of the Osprey’s three runs.

UNF was not able to complete the sweep Sunday as Georgia College’s Matt Goyen improved to 2-0 by tossing a complete game shutout. The junior lefty dominated the Ospreys, holding UNF to five hits, while striking out seven and walking none.

Georgia College did all of its scoring in the first, scratching three straight singles off starter Jacob Dixon, who struck out two before giving up a grand slam to the Bobcat’s Giuseppe Rivas. The loss erased a gutsy effort by the junior right-hander, who battled the rest of the day, allowing only one hit after the first inning.

Contact Ron Bartlett at uspinnak@unf.edu.