Richard Long dominates in baseball, Allison Benning in softball in River City Rumble split
Jacksonville University junior pitcher Richard Long mastered the University of North Florida Ospreys again.
UNF junior DH Allison Benning continued her onslaught at the plate.
It added up to a split on Friday, Day One of the River City Rumble in which the Dolphins and Ospreys are battling over three days in baseball and softball at JU.
Long pitched eight shutout innings for his second dominating performance against UNF in the last two seasons and the Dolphins erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the eighth inning with the help of five walks, a wild pitch and an error to beat the Ospreys 10-0 at John Sessions Stadium.
JU (17-19, 11-5 in the ASUN) is a half-game behind Kennesaw in the conference standings and beat the Ospreys (17-18, 7-9) for the sixth game in a row during the regular season.
Benning slammed two home runs to bring her ASUN-leading total to 13 as UNF scored in every inning to beat the Dolphins 9-2 at the Pruitt Softball Complex.
Three seniors also added homers for UNF (28-14, 12-4), Abi Annett (her fifth of the season), Chloe Culp (her second) and Logan Jackson (her third).
Long has gone the distance twice against UNF
Long (4-2), a junior right-hander from Clay High, allowed only two hits, one walk and struck out five. He pitched a nine-inning complete game last year against the Ospreys, winning 2-1 and allow five hits with five strikeouts.
JU coach Chris Hayes said he had already decided to pull Long for the top of the ninth because his pitch count had reached 102. But he still marveled at another stellar job against the crosstown rival.
“It’s pretty special ... the Friday night starter, at home, against your rival,” he said. “Richard had command of all three of his pitches and stayed ahead of the batters.”
Long has a 0.52 ERA in two career outings against UNF, giving up only six hits and two walks.
"The biggest thing for me was like last year ... getting ahead and competing," Long said.
Peter Holden (3-3) had a good start for the Ospreys, striking out three and giving up only one hit in the first three innings. But the Dolphins broke the scoreless deadlock in the bottom of the fourth when left fielder Jaden Bastian belted a two-run single to left to score Tyrell Brewer and Chandler Howard, who had singled and moved up on a walk to Josh Steidl.
Howard drove in Episcopal graduate Clayton Hodges with a ground out in the seventh and the Dolphins then scored the runs they needed to end the game an inning early, capped by a two-run single by Blake Edmonds.
"They're going to make you pay for those things when you give them free bases," said UNF coach Joe Mercadante.
The Dolphins are keeping pace in the ASUN despite another injury, to leading hitter Justin Nadeau (.395), who broke his hand last week against North Alabama.
But the two key hits in the game were made by Bastian (batting .175 prior to the weekend) and Edmonds (.237).
"All this adversity is making us stronger," Long said. "Different guys have had to step up and they're responding. By the end of the season, I think almost everyone will have made some kind of contribution and it's brought us closer as a team."
Benning chasing UNF record
Benning, a transfer from Oregon, tied Stacy McClelland (2015) and Gwen Williams (2008) for the second-most home runs in one season for UNF. The record-holder is Jessica Rhodes with 22 in 2000.
UNF pounded out 14 hits, with Annett going 3-for-3.
Starting pitcher Hallie Arends (10-3) allowed one hit in four innings.
Rumble schedule for Saturday and Sunday
Softball begins at 6 p.m. and baseball at 7 p.m. on Saturday. The softball game starts at 2 p.m. on Sunday, with the baseball game preceding it at 1 p.m.
UNF holds a 10-6 lead in the River City Rumble over JU. The season-long competition in the sports the two teams have in common continues with spring sports of men’s and women’s golf, track and field and beach volleyball.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: JU's Richard Long continues his mastery of UNF; Benning HRs lead Ospreys
