GAINESVILLE – For an opener, it went about as well as it could go for No. 1 Florida.
The Gators opened the baseball season with a 7-2 win over South Florida at McKethan Stadium on Friday, playing aggressive at the plate and getting quality defense and pitching to back it up.
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Brian Johnson (1-0) worked ahead of the count most of the night, striking out six and giving up two hits in six innings.
Winter Garden native Nolan Fontana had a career-high four hits for Florida, and sophomore Preston Tucker nearly hit for the cycle. On defense, the Gators turned two double-plays in an error-free game.
"It was very important," Tucker said of the win. He went 3-for-5, with a single, double and home run.
"Our pitchers did a great job of not putting any pressure on the hitters to get base hits, especially with the new bats. I think the hitters did a good job situational hitting."
Up 3-0, the Gators (1-0) used a four-run fifth inning to pull away. Tucker's home run to right center field to drive in two runs. Johnson got on with a ground-rule double before USF's Doug Wagner came in to walk the next two batters he faced. Bryson Smith's double to left drove in two more runs.
Florida got on the board first with three runs in the third inning.
The announced attendance of 5,157 was 23rd the Gators had a crowd bigger than 5,000 since the stadium opened in 1988.
