Behind eight strong innings from senior
right-hander Michael Palazzone and a perfect ninth by junior Blake Dieterich,
Georgia (24-16/8-9 SEC) evened its weekend series with a 5-3 victory over No.
1 Florida (30-9/10-7 SEC) in front of 4,458 fans at McKethan Stadium on Saturday
night. Palazzone (2-5) limited the Gators to six hits and three runs (courtesy
of two homers), while Dieterich collected his seventh save. The Bulldogs turned
a 2-1 deficit into a lead they would not relinquish with a three-run third
inning that was highlighted by a two-out, two-run single by senior Levi Hyams
(1-for-4).
“We
had first and second with no outs in the second inning and we didn’t move the
runner over,” Kevin O’Sullivan said. “It just happens. You have to score
runs when you get those opportunities. I don’t think we got a hit after the
fourth inning. You’re not going to win many games like that. Credit Michael
Palazzone, he threw great. He’s been in this league now four years and he made
pitches all night long. Georgia did exactly what they needed to do to win. It’s
as simple as that. He’s [Palazzone] got secondary pitches that he can throw for
strikes. He had a great game last week against Ole Miss and he’s a really good
pitcher in this league. He’s been that way for a few years now. When you can
locate your fastball and be able to throw a breaking ball and a change-up for
strikes when you’re behind in the count, you’ve got a chance to win.”
After the start of the game was delayed for exactly
one hour due to inclement weather, Georgia jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the
first inning on an RBI double by junior Kyle Farmer (1-for-4, two RBI).
Sophomore Conor Welton (2-for-4) had a one-out single through the left side off
junior Brian Johnson (Cocoa Beach, Fla.) (5-2) and Farmer sent a double
to the wall in left center to score his teammate all the way from first base.
Farmer was able to reach third on the play due to a fielding error by senior Daniel
Pigott (Ormond Beach, Fla.) but was stranded when Johnson had junior Brett
DeLoach ground out and freshman second baseman Casey Turgeon (Palm
Harbor, Fla.) made a tremendous defensive stop and relay throw over to first base
on a ball hit by Hyams.
The Gators answered in the bottom of the
frame with a two-out, two-run homer by senior Preston Tucker (Tampa,
Fla.) off Palazzone to seize a 2-1 lead. The right-hander set down the first
two batters before issuing a walk to junior Mike Zunino (Cape Coral,
Fla.). Tucker tagged Palazzone’s initial offering into the left-field bleachers
for his 10th homer of the season to match Zunino for the team lead. His 51st
career round-tripper was his first since April 1 at Ole Miss and was the fifth
of his career against the Bulldogs.
Florida put its first two runners aboard in
the second when Johnson (2-for-4) raised his hitting streak to eight games with
a leadoff single and freshman Justin Shafer (Lake Wales, Fla.) followed
with a base-hit into left field. However, Palazzone had junior Vickash
Ramjit (Miami, Fla.) hit into a 6-4-3 double play and struck out junior Cody
Dent (Boynton Beach, Fla.).
UGA countered with three runs on four hits in
the third on a fielder’s choice by Farmer and a two-out, two-run single by
Hyams to take a 4-2 lead . Junior Curt Powell (2-for-4) began the inning with a
single into right field and was sacrificed into scoring position on a bunt by
senior Peter Verdin. A single by Welton gave the Bulldogs runners on the corners
and a fielder’s choice by Farmer forced Welton at second but brought across
Powell with the tying run. DeLoach roped a double into right center to push Farmer
to third base and Hyams plated both his teammates with a base-knock up the
middle.
Pigott trimmed Georgia’s lead to 4-3 with
one-out homer to deep left field in the fourth. It was his fourth big fly of
the year and his first since April 1 at Ole Miss. After Johnson doubled to
right field, Palazzone struck out Shafer and Ramjit legged out an infield single
for runners on the corners with two down. That wound up as the Gators’ final
hit of the contest, as the righty kept the Bulldogs ahead with an inning-ending
K of Dent.
Verdin singled into center to start the fifth
but was erased on a fielder’s choice by Welton. Johnson had Farmer fly out and
a grounder by DeLoach force Welton at second base to complete the stanza.
Tucker struck out to begin UF’s sixth but a
wild pitch enabled him to reach first base. Tucker moved into scoring position
with his third stolen base in four attempts this season and senior first
baseman Jonathan Hester made a phenomenal sliding catch in foul territory near
UGA’s dugout to retire Pigott. A grounder by Johnson pushed Tucker to third and
Palazzone had Shafer line out to second base, where Hyams made a diving stab to
preserve his club’s one-run advantage.
Johnson matched his career high with a
seven-inning stint in which he scattered seven hits and allowed four runs, with
five strikeouts. The left-hander worked seven innings for the fourth time in
his career, first since March 11, 2011, versus Rhode Island (7.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R,
5 K, 1 BB). Freshman Johnny Magliozzi (East Milton, Mass.) pitched a
clean eighth with three-straight pop-ups.
“He
[Brian Johnson] gave us a chance,” Tucker said. “We know what we’re going to
get with Brian [Johnson]: he’s going to go out there and compete. He kept it
close and he did a great job, especially swinging the bat. Unfortunately, our
bats just came up short tonight. We needed to get something started. Things
just never got rolling for us tonight.”
After Palazzone had Turgeon ground out to
first base, Zunino and Tucker each flew out to deep right field to complete the
eighth. Magliozzi (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 K) retired the first two Bulldogs in the
ninth before freshman Nelson Ward had a pinch-hit single into center field and
Powell delivered an RBI double to give the visitors a 5-3 edge. Georgia held a
9-6 advantage in hits and did not commit any errors.
