THE BASICS:
RESULT: Hartford 2, North Florida 1
LOCATION: Harmon Stadium (Jacksonville, Fla.)
RECORDS: Hartford (1-0, 0-0 America East); North Florida (3-3, 0-0 Atlantic Sun)

THE LEAD:
Kyle Gauthier shined for the Hartford baseball team, tossing a complete game and allowing just one run through nine frames for the Hawks, who grabbed the win in their season opener at North Florida with a final score of 2-1. The senior righty struck out six and threw just 88 pitches to get the win and overpower the Ospreys.

Hawks captain and centerfielder Chris DelDebbio ripped a two-run homer to give the Hawks an offensive push, and Erik Ostberg, Hartford's designated hitter, tacked on three hits including a double. Keith Skinner collected three hits and drove in the Osprey's lone run of the game on an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Gauthier was strong from the get-go for Hartford, striking out a batter in each of the first three innings to begin his night on the mound.
• DelDebbio picked up Hartford's first hit of the season when he lined a single up the middle to center before Nick Campana grounded out to end the top of the first.
• The Hawks got on the scoreboard first thanks to the hot bat of DelDebbio. David MacKinnon slapped a clutch two-out single to left center, and DelDebbio took advantage by ripping a two-run bomb to left center to give the Hawks an early 2-0 lead in the top of the third.
• Gauthier returned to the mound in the bottom half of the inning by responding and shutting down the Osprey bats, keeping North Florida hitless through three frames.
• Gauthier was able to keep Hartford's lead at two until the bottom of the sixth when North Florida pushed across a run on the strength of a one-out RBI single by Skinner to make the game even tighter at 2-1.
• Ostberg doubled in the top of the eighth to give the Hawks another scoring opportunity, but Campana and T.J. Ward couldn't push him across, and the game remained 2-1.
• Gauthier went back out there for the ninth, and faced a little pressure from Ospreys with a single by Skinner to open the inning. From there, a bullet from Hawks catcher Joe Roberti nailed down Dalton Board at second base, who came in to pinch run for Skinner, and the Hawks swung momentum back their way.
• Nick Karmeris singled for the Ospreys with one out, but Gauthier slammed the door shut in the ninth, and the Hawks came out on top with a solid 2-1 win to kick off the 2016 season.

 
BY THE NUMBERS:

• Gauthier kicked off the season with a lights-out performance on the mound, striking out six in a dominant complete game performance. The senior has a knack for strong openers in his career, getting wins in back-to-back season openers for the Hawks. Last season, Gauthier beat Iona after going seven innings and striking out eight while allowing just three hits in the contest.
• DelDebbio ripped a huge two-run homer to propel Hartford's offense to victory. The senior totaled five homers in his 2015 campaign and now has seven for his career.
• The three hits by Ostberg ties a career-high, with the sophomore getting three base hits for the third time in his career.

NEXT UP:
Next up for the Hawks is game two of the three-game weekend series against North Florida. RHP John LaRossa takes the mound for Hartford, while the Ospreys counter with RHP Matt Vaka. The first pitch comes at 1:00 tomorrow from Harmon Stadium, and live stats are available on HartfordHawks.com.