Senior Mike Reeves (2-for-5) snapped a 1-1
tie with a two-out RBI single in the fifth inning and FGCU (4-1) added a
three-run homer by sophomore Michael Suchy (2-for-3) in the sixth inning en
route to an 8-3 win over No. 13 Florida (3-4) on Saturday afternoon at McKethan
Stadium. Junior left-hander Brandon Bixler (1-0) limited the Gators to one run
on four hits over five innings before senior R.J. Brown hurled the final four
innings to collect his first save of the season. Three different Eagles turned
in multiple-hit outings after the visitors had captured Friday’s opener.
“I
thought we got a good start from Tucker Simpson,” head coach Kevin O’Sullivan
said. “We have to do a better job offensively. We had seven hits that were
scattered. We are trying to do some things offensively; put guys in motion; hit
and runs. We haven't been able to string along quality at bats. We have some
work to do; it’s as simple as that. Teams go through periods where they don't
play so well. At this point, we aren't playing so well. There is nothing we can
do about yesterday or today, we just have to come out and be ready to play
tomorrow.”
After an eight-pitch top of the first inning
by freshman righty Tucker Simpson (Oxford, Ala.) (0-1), sophomore Justin
Shafer (Lake Wales, Fla.) put the Gators on the scoreboard with a
wind-aided RBI double to center field. Freshman Harrison Bader (Bronxville,
N.Y.) had drawn a leadoff walk from Bixler and stolen second for his
team-leading third theft. Freshman Richie Martin (Brandon, Fla.) was hit
by a pitch for two Gators aboard and sophomore Casey Turgeon (Palm
Harbor, Fla.) advanced his teammates with a grounder. Shafer’s team-high third
double provided the hosts with the opening score for the second day in a row. A
fielder’s choice by redshirt sophomore Zack Powers (Seffner, Fla.) to
Bixler resulted in Martin being thrown out at the plate and then Shafer was
erased at the dish on an attempted double steal.
Redshirt senior Brooks Beisner (2-for-4) led
off the second for the Eagles with a double into left field and junior Brandon
Bednar walked before sophomore Zack Tillery moved his teammates into scoring
position with a sacrifice bunt. Simpson worked out of the jam by striking out Suchy
and having freshman Colton Bottomley pop up to second base.
Simpson had retired seven-consecutive FGCU
batters until hitting Beisner with one down in the fourth. A wild pitch moved
the runner into scoring position and a grounder by Bednar pushed Beisner to
third with two out. Simpson had Tillery ground out to Powers to end the frame.
The Eagles scored twice in the fifth to seize
a 2-1 lead. Suchy led off with a base-hit into center field, went to second on
a grounder by Bottomley and came in on a double into left field by redshirt
sophomore Alex Diaz. After fanning freshman Tyler Selesky for the second out,
Simpson (4.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 K) was replaced by junior Daniel Gibson (Lutz,
Fla.). Reeves greeted the southpaw with a base-hit up the middle to plate Diaz.
“No
doubt I felt a lot more comfortable today versus last week,” Simpson said of
his second collegiate start. “I know going out there, in the bullpen
especially, I felt like I had it under control but then seeing the pre-game
video on the board I started to get a little bit nervous. But, I think getting
that under my belt and coming out today I was a lot more comfortable than last
week.”
UF threatened in the bottom of the inning, as
senior Vickash Ramjit (Miami, Fla.) and sophomore Taylor Gushue
(Boca Raton, Fla.) started with consecutive walks. Bixler retired Tobias on an
infield fly, Ramjit was thrown out at third as part of a double steal for the
second out and Bixler struck out senior Cody Dent (Boynton Beach, Fla.)
to preserve the Eagles’ advantage.
Sophomore Ryan Harris (Jupiter, Fla.)
took over for Gibson (0.1 IP, 1 H) prior to the sixth and issued a one-out walk
to Bednar. Tillery followed with a single into left field and then Suchy boosted
FGCU’s lead to 5-1 with a three-run homer to left field for his first career
round-tripper.
Bixler limited the Gators to one run on four
hits over five innings before Brown took over on the mound. Martin had a
one-out infield single and Turgeon was hit by a pitch before Shafer flew out to
right field. Powers was plunked to fill the bags with two down and Ramjit
walked to narrow Florida’s deficit to 5-2 as Martin came in. Brown worked out
of further trouble by inducing a pop-up by Gushue.
FGCU used a pair of triples in the seventh by
junior Sean Dwyer and Bednar to expand its lead to 7-2. Freshman Danny Young
(Boca Raton, Fla.) came in at the outset of the inning for Harris (1.0 IP, 2 H,
3 R) and yielded a leadoff single to Selesky. The left-hander had Reeves pop up
a sacrifice bunt attempt and Dwyer ripped a triple to center field to score
Selesky. Freshman Mike Vinson (Miami, Fla.) came in for Young (0.1 IP, 2
H, 2 R) and Powers robbed Beisner of a potential single with a diving stab for
the second out. However, Bednar tripled to center field to put FGCU ahead by
five runs.
Beisner had an RBI single in the ninth inning
with one down that brought home Reeves, who had singled with one down off
Vinson (2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 3 K). In the Gators’ ninth, freshman Kevin
Stypulkowski (Lake Worth, Fla.) came through with his first career
extra-base hit with a double into left center and freshman Brady Roberson
(Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) delivered a pinch-hit RBI single up the middle to
score Stypulkowski and finalize the 8-3 margin. The Eagles out-hit UF, 11-7,
and neither team committed any errors.
