Alex Panteliodis didn't hide the way he feels about Miami's baseball team Sunday night.
“I don't really like those guys,” he said.
The Hurricanes probably aren't too fond of him either.
Panteliodis threw six shutout innings and Florida scored 11 times in the first three innings to cruise to an 11-4 win over Miami to sweep the Gainesville Regional.
“Something sparks me against them,” said Panteliodis. “Something about them just sparks me. It fires me up. Sully (UF coach Kevin O'Sullivan) was on me before the game. ‘Let's go! It's Miami! Rivalry game! Let's go!' “
A year ago, Panteliodis threw a complete game three-hitter in a Super Regional win over the Hurricanes in Gainesville. On Sunday, he found himself with an 11-0 lead after 2½ innings,. Panteliodis pitched into the seventh before leaving after giving up a homer to lose the shutout.
“It was just throw the ball and let them put it in play with a lead like that,” he said. “Trust your defense.”
Florida advances to the Super Regionals for the third straight year, a school record. The Gators have now won eight straight games against Miami and 11 of the last 12.
Florida jumped on Miami starter E.J. Encinosa in the first when Preston Tucker, the most valuable player of the regional, launched a towering three-run homer just inside the foul pole in right field.
“I'm seeing the ball really well right now,” Tucker said. “When Nolan (Fontana) and Bryson (Smith) are getting on base, I get better pitches to hit. Nolan set the tone with that first at-bat.”
Fontana led the game off with a solid two-strike single and Smith followed with a walk ahead of Tucker's homer.
Tucker now has seven home runs in NCAA play and 26 RBI, breaking the school record previously held by Mario Linares.
“He knew he needed to step up with the guys we had out,” O'Sullivan said.
Florida (48-16) swept the regional despite missing two starters — Austin Maddox and Brian Johnson — for most of it. O'Sullivan said he hoped to have both of them back for the Super Regionals.
“I think it says a lot about our depth,” O'Sullivan said. “I think it says a lot about the character of this team, too. We had a lot of guys step up.”
UF scored eight times in the third inning to blow the game open as 13 batters went to the plate.
One run scored on a throwing error by Encinosa and Tyler Thompson singled home two more. A Pigott single plated another run and Tucker later capped the scoring with a two-run double.
Tucker went 7-of-14 with three homers and 11 RBI for the regional. Also on the All-Regional team were Gators Mike Zunino, Nolan Fontana, Thompson, Pigott and Panteliodis.
Miami, which has been eliminated three straight years from postseason play by the Gators, finishes the season at 38-23.
“Expectations are high at the University of Miami,” said UM coach Jim Morris. “It's the lowest team I've had finish since I've been at Miami. Nothing to write home about.
“It's going to be a long bus ride home.”
Miami had its own injury problems with third baseman Harold Martinez suffering a foot injury in the first game of the day and catcher Shane Rowland having to leave the game after being hit in the groin by a foul ball.
Miami rallied from a three-run deficit with six runs in the eighth and ninth to beat Jacksonville 6-3 in Sunday's first game.
Florida will face Mississippi State in the Super Regional this weekend. Game times will be announced Monday night.
