Florida
(21-18/9-7 SEC) utilized a balanced offensive attack to post an 8-6 victory
over Missouri (12-21/4-12 SEC) and boost its winning streak to seven games in
the teams’ series opener on Friday night at Taylor Stadium.
The
Gators totaled a season-high 18 hits, as their top six hitters in the lineup
chipped in with multiple-hit outings, while the quartet of sophomore Taylor
Gushue (Boca Raton, Fla.) (3-for-5), freshman Richie Martin
(Brandon, Fla.) (3-for-6), senior Vickash Ramjit (Miami, Fla.) (3-for-4,
two runs) and sophomore Josh Tobias (Greensboro, N.C.) (3-for-5, two
RBI) had three hits apiece. Florida batted a scorching 10-for-17 (.588) with
two outs and notched six two-out RBI in the contest.
Junior
right-hander Jonathon Crawford (Okeechobee, Fla.) (3-5) captured his
second-consecutive start after overcoming a four-run first inning and sophomore
Johnny Magliozzi (East Milton, Mass.) worked the final 1.2 innings to
register his 10th save in 11 opportunities. The righty is now three saves from
the school’s single-season mark shared by Danny Wheeler (1994) and Josh
Fogg (1998).
The
Gators used a two-out RBI single by sophomore Justin Shafer (Lake Wales,
Fla.) (2-for-5, two RBI) to take a 1-0 lead against Missouri junior Rob
Zastryzny (2-7) in the first inning. Sophomore Casey Turgeon (Palm
Harbor, Fla.) (2-for-4, three runs) singled into left field with one down and
moved to second base with his fourth theft of the season with two out. Shafer
lined a single into right field to drive Turgeon and Ramjit followed with a
base-hit before Zastryzny had Tobias go down on strikes.
The
Tigers countered with four runs on four hits in their first at bat against Crawford.
Sophomore Logan Pearson (2-for-3, two runs) drew a leadoff walk and sophomore
Case Munson’s bunt single was thrown wide of first base by Crawford, resulting
in runners on second and third base. Senior Dane Opel (3-for-5, two RBI) tied
the game with a single into center field that brought home Pearson and junior
Keaton Steele gave the hosts a 2-1 lead with an RBI single into left field. A
sacrifice bunt by Dylan Kelly moved Opel and Steele into scoring position and
an RBI grounder by junior Kendall Keeton scored Opel. Freshman Josh Lester
expanded the Tigers’ margin to 4-1 with a single down the left-field line that
plated Steele.
Ramjit
led off the fourth with a single up the middle and came around to score on a
long single off the top of the right-field wall by Tobias to narrow the Gators’
deficit to 4-2. Seconds later, freshman Harrison Bader (Bronxville,
N.Y.) delivered a base-hit into center for two runners aboard with none out,
extending his hitting streak to seven games. Zastryzny had sophomore Mike
Fahrman (Tampa, Fla.) pop up a sacrifice attempt and then had senior Cody
Dent (Boynton Beach, Fla.) hit into inning-ending double play.
Florida
rallied for three runs on four hits in the fifth inning to grab a 5-4
advantage. Turgeon belted a one-out homer over the right-field wall for his
team-leading fourth round-tripper to narrow the gap to 4-3. It was also UF’s
first big fly since March 31. Gushue roped his first triple of the
season into the gap in right center and Zastryzny countered with a strikeout of
Shafer. Ramjit evened the game with his third hit of the night, a double to
left field, and Tobias moved the Gators back in front with a single into left
field.
After
Zastryzny (5.2 IP, 12 H, 6 R) retired the first two Florida batters in the
sixth, Martin singled into right center field and Turgeon drew a four-pitch
walk, prompting a pitching change. Gushue greeted redshirt junior Jake Walsh
with a single into left center that scored Martin for a 6-4 lead for the
visitors.
Crawford
registered the first two outs in the bottom of the frame before yielding a
base-hit into right field by Dillon Everett (3-for-4) that ended a run of
seven-consecutive batters retired. Munson sliced a single into right field for
runners on the corners, bringing sophomore Ryan Harris (Jupiter, Fla.)
in for Crawford (5.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 K, 4 BB). The righty whiffed Munson to
preserve the Gators’ two-run advantage.
Tobias
deposited a one-out double just inside of the right-field line in the seventh
and redshirt sophomore Zack Powers (Seffner, Fla.) came through with a
two-out, pinch-hit RBI single into left center field to give the Gators a 7-4
lead.
Florida
tacked on another run in the eighth on a two-out RBI double by Shafer that
brought home Turgeon, who had reached on a fielder’s choice and stolen second
base.
In
the home part of the stanza, Everett stroked a one-out single into right field
and took second on a fielding error by Shafer, ending the night for Harris (1.2
IP, 3 H, 1 R, 3 K). Pearson then brought the Tigers within 8-5 courtesy of an
RBI single off of junior Daniel Gibson (Lutz, Fla.). Magliozzi was
summoned from the bullpen and walked Munson. After Opel delivered an RBI single
into left field to bring home Pearson for an 8-6 score, Magliozzi caught Steele
looking on strikes and had Kelly fly out to straightaway center field.
With
the Tigers down to their final three outs, Lester drew a one-out walk. However,
Magliozzi responded with back-to-back strikeouts of sophomore pinch hitter Jake
Ivory and Everett to secure the Gators’ seventh win in a row, fifth-straight in
SEC play.
