A
three-run sixth inning propelled Georgia (20-32/6-20 SEC) to a 3-1 victory over
Florida (29-26/14-15 SEC) on Friday night at Foley Field that evened the teams’
weekend series. Bulldog freshman right-hander Sean McLaughlin (5-6) yielded
four hits and one run over seven innings before redshirt freshman Mike Mancuso
worked a scoreless eighth and junior Dylan Cole retired the Gators in order in
the ninth to collect his fourth save.
Sophomore
Josh Tobias (Greensboro, N.C.) opened the scoring in the second inning
against McLaughlin with a two-out RBI double. Sophomore Justin Shafer
(Lake Wales, Fla.) drew a leadoff walk and took second on a grounder by senior Vickash
Ramjit (Miami, Fla.), setting the stage for Tobias’ fourth two-bagger of
the campaign to straightaway center field. Freshman Harrison Bader
(Bronxville, N.Y.) followed with a walk to extend his streak of reaching base
to 14 games before freshman Christian Dicks (Jacksonville, Fla.)
grounded out to complete the frame.
Sophomore
left-hander Bobby Poyner (Wellington, Fla.) (3-3) had retired 10
consecutive Bulldogs before the hosts seized a 3-1 lead in the sixth inning on
three runs, two hits and a pair of Gator errors. After sophomore Heath Holder
drew a leadoff walk, redshirt freshman DJ Smith laid down a bunt to move Holder
to second base. However, a throwing error by Poyner enabled the Bulldogs to
have a pair of runners aboard. Sophomore Nelson Ward executed a sacrifice bunt
to advance both of his teammates into scoring position and an error by freshman
shortstop Richie Martin (Brandon, Fla.) on a grounder by senior Curt
Powell enabled Powell to reach and Holder to come across with the tying run.
Redshirt
freshman Aaron Rhodes (Venice, Fla.) replaced Poyner (5.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R,
0 ER) and yielded a go-ahead RBI single into right field by sophomore Hunter
Cole (2-for-3) that brought in Smith. A grounder by senior Kyle Farmer gave the
Bulldogs runners on second and third base and senior Brett DeLoach was walked
intentionally to load the bases with two down. Freshman Danny Young
(Boca Raton, Fla.) came in for Rhodes (0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB) and an RBI single to the
edge of the outfield grass by freshman Daniel Nichols (2-for-4) scored Powell
for a 3-1 advantage but Cole was tagged out in a run-down trying to reach third
base.
Freshman
Zack Bowers greeted freshman reliever Mike Vinson (Miami, Fla.) with a
double to start the Bulldogs’ seventh and sophomore Jared Walsh sliced a
pinch-hit single into left field for runners on the corners with none out.
After Vinson (0.1 IP, 2 H) fanned Smith, freshman Parker Danciu (Delray
Beach, Fla.) was summoned from the bullpen. The lefty struck out Ward and
freshman Tucker Simpson (Oxford, Ala.) came to the mound and had a
grounder by Powell force Walsh at second to keep the Gators down by two runs.
McLaughlin
departed after seven full innings in which he permitted four runs and one run,
with four strikeouts and three walks. Martin was hit by a pitch from Mancuso
with one down, who then had sophomores Casey Turgeon (Palm Harbor, Fla.)
and Taylor Gushue (Boca Raton, Fla.) fly out to left field in the eighth.
