Sophomore Mike Zunino (Cape Coral, Fla.) drove in three runs and Florida (49-16) scored in each of the first five innings to defeat Mississippi State (37-24), 11-1, in the opening game of the best-of-three NCAA Gainesville Super Regional on Friday afternoon at McKethan Stadium. Game two will be on Saturday at noon and be shown nationally on ESPN, with the Gators needing one more victory to punch the program’s seventh ticket to the NCAA College World Series.
Sophomore right-hander Hudson Randall (Atlanta, Ga.) (10-3) held the Bulldogs scoreless into the seventh inning and was supported by a balanced offense that plated four runs in the first, two in the second, one in the third, two in the fourth and one in the fifth to build a 10-run cushion. Over eight full innings, his longest stint in NCAA play, Randall registered a season-high eight strikeouts, scattered six hits and permitted one run.
“This time of the year, it’s all about momentum and how you handle momentum, how you gain momentum and hold onto it,” head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “I am really proud of the way we played today offensively; it might have been one of our better offensive days in awhile. I know we have been swinging the bat really good but to not have any giveaway innings was key. I thought we were just outstanding. Hudson Randall just did what he has been doing all year long and pitched deep into the ballgame, saving our (bull)pen.”
Zunino (2-for-4, three RBI, two runs) and junior Tyler Thompson (Tequesta, Fla.) (1-for-5) each drove in two runs as the Gators jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning against Bulldog freshman right-hander Evan Mitchell (6-2). Sophomore Nolan Fontana (Winter Garden, Fla.) (1-for-4, two runs, two RBI) drew a leadoff walk, senior Bryson Smith (Watkinsville, Ga.) (3-for-5, two runs) followed with a single into center field to extend his hitting streak to eight games and junior Preston Tucker (Tampa, Fla.) earned a free pass to load the bases. Zunino dropped a flare into left field to bring across Fontana and Smith and Mitchell responded with a strikeout of senior Josh Adams (Jacksonville, Fla.) for the first out. Thompson collected his sixth double of the campaign into right center to clear the bases for a four-run margin.
Randall struck out the first two Bulldogs in the second before yielding back-to-back single to redshirt junior Brent Brownlee and senior Jonathan Ogden. The right-hander responded with a punch-out of senior Wes Thigpen to end the inning, bringing his total to five K.
Fontana belted his fifth homer with sophomore Cody Dent (Boynton Beach, Fla.) aboard in the bottom of the frame to give UF a 6-0 advantage. Dent (1-for-1, two runs, two walks) had drawn a one-out walk and Fontana sent an 0-1 offering over the right-field fence for his first round-tripper since May 28 against Georgia in the SEC Tourney. It was first home run surrendered by Mitchell this season.
Zunino started the home part of the third inning with his team-leading 17th homer over the left-field, ending the afternoon for Mitchell (2.0 IP, 5 H, 7 R). Adams greeted junior reliever Devin Jones with a base-hit through the left side before Thompson flew out. Adams was erased at second base on a fielder’s choice by junior Daniel Pigott (Ormond Beach, Fla.) (1-for-4, two runs) and redshirt sophomore Vickash Ramjit (Miami, Fla.) grounded out to complete the frame.
The Gators expanded their lead to 9-0 in the fourth on RBI singles by Smith and Adams. Dent began the inning with his second walk of the afternoon and moved into scoring position on a grounder by Fontana. Smith’s second hit of the contest brought in Dent and he took second on the relay throw to the plate. Tucker popped out in foul territory, advancing Smith to third, and Zunino drew a two-out walk for runners on the corners. Adams delivered a single into left field to bring in Smith.
Dent’s first sacrifice fly of the season drove in Pigott in the fifth for a 10-0 lead. Pigott had led off by reaching on a two-base fielding error by Ogden and went to third on a grounder by Ramjit. Dent picked up his fifth RBI of the season with a fly ball to center field off sophomore Kendall Graveman to score Pigott.
Redshirt senior Jarrod Parks (2-for-4) began the sixth with a single and senior Nick Vickerson followed with a double into left field. Senior Jaron Shepherd put the Bulldogs on the board with an RBI grounder and Randall countered with a strikeout of freshman pinch hitter Adam Frazier and had Brownlee fly out to left field to strand Vickerson on third base.
Pigott homered for the first time since April 2 against Tennessee with one down in the seventh to finalize the scoring. His solo shot landed in the left-field bleachers. Freshman Keenan Kish (Worcester, Pa.) had a pair of strikeouts in a scoreless ninth to end the game.Florida held an 11-7 advantage and did not commit any errors.
Gator freshman Karsten Whitson (Chipley, Fla.) (8-0, 2.42) will make the start tomorrow against MSU junior southpaw Nick Routt (3-3, 3.78).
