No. 3 Florida Baseball Secures Series Win At Auburn, 10-1

A 12-hit, three-homer offensive attack and the dominant pitching of junior left-hander Brian Johnson (Cocoa Beach, Fla.) powered No. 3 Florida (40-15/18-11 SEC) to a series-clinching 10-1 victory over Auburn (29-26/12-17 SEC) on Friday night at Plainsman Park. With the triumph, the Gators reached the 40-win plateau for the 21st time in school history and the school-record fourth-consecutive season under head coach Kevin O’Sullivan. The Gators will enter the final day of the regular season with a chance at the SEC title.   Johnson (6-4) matched his season and career high with a seven-inning stint in which he allowed just two singles and an unearned run, with seven strikeouts and two walks. The Gator pitching staff has allowed five singles over the first two games to the league’s top offense. Junior Vickash Ramjit (Miami, Fla.) (2-for-4 ) clubbed a three-run homer as part of a four-run first inning, senior Preston Tucker (Tampa, Fla.) went 3-for-5 with a two-run dinger in the sixth, and junior Mike Zunino (Cape Coral, Fla.) had a solo shot to start the third.   The Gators sent nine batters to the plate in the first inning against freshman Daniel Koger (3-5) and tallied four runs on three hits, highlighted by a three-run homer by Ramjit. Senior Daniel Pigott (Ormond Beach, Fla.) drew a one-out walk and Tucker followed with a ground-rule double to left field when the ball rolled underneath a bench and was ruled to be a dead ball by the umpires. Zunino walked on four pitches to load the bases and Johnson lofted a sacrifice fly to straightaway center field to score Pigott. Ramjit bashed Koger’s initial offering over the right-field fence to expand the lead to 4-0 on his fifth homer of the season, all in SEC play. Ramjit’s round-tripper was his first since April 15 at Tennessee.   Florida tacked on three more runs on four hits in the third inning to build a 7-0 advantage. Zunino opened the frame with his SEC-leading 15th homer to right field to give the visitors a five-run cushion. Johnson then beat out an infield single, ending the night for Koger (2.0 IP, 6 R, 5 H). Ramjit greeted junior Slade Smith with a base-hit into center field and freshman Casey Turgeon (Palm Harbor, Fla.) was plunked to load the bases with none out. Freshman Josh Tobias (Greensboro, N.C.) legged out an infield hit to score Johnson with the sixth run and freshman Justin Shafer (Lake Wales, Fla.) hit into a 6-4-3 double play that brought in Ramjit.   Johnson retired the first two Tigers in the home part of the stanza but then issued consecutive walks to sophomore Zach Alvord and sophomore Jay Gonzalez. A fielding error by Tobias on a grounder by senior Creede Simpson enabled Alvord to score but Johnson prevented further trouble by having junior pinch hitter Patrick Savage fly out to right field.   Sophomore Ryan Tella reached on a throwing error by Turgeon to begin AU’s fourth and Johnson had senior Justin Bryant line out to left field. Tella moved into scoring position with a stolen base and Johnson responded by striking out junior Mitchell Self and having sophomore Blake Austin fly out.   Sophomore Dillon Ortman replaced Smith (2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R) prior to the fifth and Johnson (2-for-3) led off with a single to right field. The right-hander had Ramjit fly out and induced an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play by Turgeon.   The Gators increased their lead to 10-1 in the sixth, featuring a two-run bomb by Tucker. Shafer roped a one-out single into left center, took second on his third stolen base of the year and went to third on an errant relay throw by the AU catcher. Junior Nolan Fontana (Winter Garden, Fla.) earned a free pass for runners on the corners and a wild pitch from Ortman scored Pigott and enabled Fontana to occupy second. After Pigott flew out, Tucker belted his 14th homer to deep center field for his second of the series and the 55th of his career to match Brad Wilkerson (1996-98) for second on the school’s all-time list.   Johnson departed after seven strong innings and the duo of sophomore Daniel Gibson (Lutz, Fla.) and freshman Ryan Harris (Jupiter, Fla.) each threw a perfect frame to conclude the contest. Florida will send sophomore Karsten Whitson (Chipley, Fla.) (3-0, 3.33) to the mound against a Tiger hurler yet to be announced in tomorrow’s series finale at 2 p.m. ET. The Gators are one win shy of tying the school record for most regular-season wins (41 in 1989, 1991, 1996, 1998 and 2011). UF advanced to the College World Series in four of the previous five 41-win seasons (’91, ’96, ’98 and 2011).

UF women's tennis tops Michigan at NCAAs

ATHENS, Ga. — No. 2 Florida's defense of its national tennis championship got off to a uneven start Thursday, but the Gators turned in efficient singles performances to take a 4-0 victory over No. 15 Michigan on the first day of the NCAA Women's Tennis Championships. Florida (24-1), which won its 19th consecutive match as Thursday became Friday, waited out a considerable rain delay that caused the start of its match with the Wolverines (21-8) to begin more than two hours later than originally scheduled. But Gators coach Roland Thornqvist didn't think the later starting time had a negative effect on his team. “If anything, we were really eager to play,” said Thornqvist. “In the first 15 minutes, (it) was just jitters. Once they get their teeth in it, usually we do OK.” Florida won the doubles point, but not without more than an hour's worth of great effort. Sofie Oyen and Allie Will, the nation's No. 1 doubles team, lost to Emina Bektas and Brooke Bolender 8-5 to put the Gators on their heels. But the No. 2 team of Lauren Embree and Joanna Mather evened things, winning their 23rd consecutive doubles match with an 8-2 victory over Mimi Nguyen and Michelle Sulahian, and Florida's Alex Cercone and Caroline Hitimana closed the deal with a 9-7 win over Kristy Dodge and Sarah Lee. “We were still pretty focused,” said Embree. “We were anxious to play, and (the rain) just put a damper on things. I didn't play my best in the beginning. I was pretty nervous, and Jo kind of helped me up and kept us in the match. It was a grind, but that's what you have to do to win.” Compared to doubles, singles play proved to be a relatively drama-less affair. Olivia Janowicz, an 11th-hour replacement for Hitimana at No. 6 singles, put Florida up 2-0 with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Michelle Sulahian. Embree made it 3-0 with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Bolender at No. 2, and Oyen clinched the match by going 6-1, 6-3 over Sarah Lee. “I thought the singles matches were outstanding,” said Thornqvist. “On courts 4, 5, 6, we were about as good as we played all year and that comes out at a great time. We're moving well, we're playing smart, we can handle ups and downs and we handle mistakes well.” “Everyone was excited to play this match and we were coming off the momentum from doubles,” added Embree, who recorded her 16th consecutive singles victory. “Everyone got off to a really good start, which is what we needed.”

UF men's tennis ends season in round of 16

ATHENS, Ga. — Florida coach Andy Jackson knew the odds didn't favor the No. 12 Gators in their round of 16 match against No. 5 Ohio State at the NCAA Men's Tennis Championships on Friday. But his team's strong showing early in singles play offered hope an upset might be possible. Unfortunately for Florida, the Buckeyes were able to regroup and defeat the Gators 4-1 to advance to Sunday's semifinals. “They're one of the premier programs in the country,” Jackson said of Ohio State. “They're very tough and they're very well coached. They played a great match. I'm proud of my team. We could have done more, but the match kind of played out like we thought it might.” Florida lost the doubles point but captured first-set victories in four of six singles positions. The Gators wound up getting their singles point from Florent Diep, who defeated Devin McCarthy 6-4, 6-2 at No. 5, but Spencer Newman fell in three sets at No. 4 to Ille Van Engelen, and Mike Alford played gamely with a knee injury and lost in three sets at No. 6 to Connor Smith. Bob van Overbeek and Tripper Carleton, playing at No. 1 and No. 2 singles respectively, lost in straight sets. Chase Buchanan defeated van Overbeek 6-3, 6-3 and Blaz Rola downed Carleton 6-4, 6-1. “We controlled four of the matches, and (we knew) Connor was tough at 6,” said Jackson. “But I also felt Bob and Tripper, if they could have pushed those guys at 1 and 2 more, it would have helped. But it was not for a lack of trying.” After winning in his first set, Alford, whom Jackson said suffered a broken foot last season, was favoring both legs after a medical timeout in the third set and was rendered almost immobile, although he did not retire from the match. “He wasn't able to move,” said Jackson of Alford. “You don't want to put a player in a dangerous situation, so obviously we didn't think it was a dangerous situation, although it might have looked like a hopeless situation. “Strange things can happen in sports. (If) you stay out there, who knows? Maybe Connor turns an ankle or maybe you get your second wind. In many tennis matches it looks like you're dead in the water and things change. That's why he stayed out there.” Ohio State (34-3) will face UCLA — which defeated Ole Miss 4-1 on Friday — at noon on Sunday. Florida ends its season at 16-10.

Gators Seek to Have Fun, Keep Season Alive after Tough Day

GAINESVILLLE, Fla. – Friday was certainly one of the toughest days of Gators softball coach Tim Walton's career. His team hosted Florida Gulf Coast University in the Gainesville Regional, the first step along a journey the Gators hope ends with a fifth consecutive trip to the Women's College World Series. But as Walton filled out his lineup card, three names were missing. Three names Walton has relied on heavily this season: left fielder Kasey Fagan, shortstop Cheyenne Coyle and third baseman Sami Fagan. The trio had combined for 163 of a possible 171 starts entering Friday's game, and Coyle and Sami Fagan formed the starting left side of the infield, so there was no way around the Gators not feeling their absence in a 2-1 loss to FGCU. "It's something that I handled and handled as well as I could and as well as I'm capable of handling,'' Walton said afterward. "I'd be crazy to say it didn't affect the team. "A team is a team and you work hard from the beginning of the season. Any kind of departure of any person on this team not in that lineup or not on this field is a distraction, no question." Walton declined to give specifics about why the players are no longer on the team, saying only that he is handling the situation internally and that the players "are no longer with us." When asked if that was permanently, he said: "As you go through the end of the season you've got to address everything where you're at, so as of right now they are off the team for the rest of the season." While it was a difficult day for those in orange and blue at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium, the other dugout was all smiles. Yes, it was a day to celebrate for the Eagles, who got their first NCAA Tournament victory in any sport. FGCU transitioned to Division I this year and while both its soccer teams and women's basketball team made it to the postseason, none pulled off a victory. To do it against the Gators, the state's flagship program and the NCAA Tourney's No. 5 overall seed, was reason to celebrate even more. "We have never played in front of a crowd that big,'' said Eagles third baseman Kirsten Bembnowski, whose solo home run in the second inning gave FGCU an early lead. "We wanted to show what we could do. I would have never thought we would be ahead of the Gators – the Florida Gators." Despite the difficult situation, Walton said he liked the way the Gators competed and handled the distractions of the day. He saw a team that came ready to play. And while the lineup was missing some key pieces – Briana Little played left field, Samantha Holle started at third and Katie Medina was at shortstop – Walton's highlight was a player who missed 39 games making her long-awaited return. Brittany Schutte played for the first time in more than two months after suffering a broken jaw due to an errant throw earlier this season. Schutte started in right field and went 0-for-2 with a walk. That gave Walton reason to flash a smile. "Brittany Schutte is back playing softball again,'' Walton said. "That's one of the biggest bright spots on this team this season – to have an All-American come back from the injury and come back from the rehab and come back from the surgeries – to come out there on that field to give us a chance to win the ballgame. "I was really happy to have her back out there today." The Gators managed five hits and tied the game in the third inning on Lauren Haeger's RBI single. However, a solo homer by Emily Lanier in the sixth off Gators starter Hannah Rogers proved to be the decisive run. Rogers did her job by pitching a complete game, surrendering six hits and striking out nine. "They were just pitches they were able to hit well,'' Rogers said of the two solo home runs that cost her. FGCU coach David Deiros was unable to sigh until Shelby Morgan retired the Gators on three pitches in the bottom of the seventh. "Florida put us under constant pressure,'' Deiros said. "They didn't fold." Neither did Walton. After the game was over and the standing-room-only crowd of 1,345 departed, Walton took a break from a tough day on the field. As the grounds crew pulled the tarp to cover the infield, Walton threw a baseball back and forth with his son Brooks as his wife and two other kids played nearby. The Gators' season could be down to one game – Florida faces UCF in the loser's bracket on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Suddenly, talk of another trip to the WCWS has been replaced by missing players and elimination games. That's not exactly the way Walton drew it up, but he is dealing with it. Dealing with it the best he can. The message to his team afterward was simple. "Just have fun and go play ball,'' he said. "That's what we came out here to do today. We've just got to go play ball. At the end of the game today, it's a game." A game that can offers more challenges some days than others.

Sunshine State Rivals UF, FGCU, UCF & USF Clash in 2012 NCAA Softball Gainesville Regional May 18-20

This weekend at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium promises entertaining 2012 NCAA Softball Regional action, as the No. 5 overall seed Florida Gators (46-11) play host to Sunshine State opponents in FGCU (37-22), UCF (39-17) and USF (45-11) in an all-Florida softball regional.   NCAA Tourney play kicks off in Gainesville May 18 at 3:30 p.m. with UCF vs. USF, while the Gators and FGCU Eagles will tilt at 6 p.m.  Action will continue Saturday and Sunday in the double-elimination format. The winner of the Gainesville Regional will play the winner of the Los Angeles Regional, featuring the No. 12 seed and host, UCLA (36-18), in addition to San Diego State (30-22), FSU (46-14) and Hofstra (38-13). The highest remaining seed will host the Super Regional.   For the 10th consecutive season, the University of Florida softball team will host a NCAA Regional at KSP Stadium after securing the program’s fifth –consecutive top-five national seed.

Randall Twirls Three-Hitter As No. 3 Baseball Downs Auburn, 6-0; Tucker Becomes UF's Hit Leader

Junior Hudson Randall (Atlanta, Ga.) held the SEC’s top offense to three singles for his third career complete game and senior Preston Tucker (Tampa, Fla.) became the school’s all-time hit leader as No. 3 Florida (39-15/17-11 SEC) captured the opening game of its weekend series with a 6-0 shutout of Auburn (29-25/12-16 SEC) on Thursday night at Plainsman Park. It marked the first time that the Tigers had been held scoreless this season.   In other SEC action tonight, Mississippi State upended Kentucky, 3-1, bringing the Gators to one game behind the Wildcats (41-13/18-10 SEC). LSU (40-13/17-10 SEC) and South Carolina (38-13/17-9 SEC) were rained out and will play a doubleheader tomorrow afternoon in Columbia. The Gamecocks now sit atop the league standings by a half game.   Randall (7-1) captured his fourth-straight outing and delivered the first complete game by a Gator pitcher since he went the distance on April 1, 2011, against Tennessee. The righty registered three strikeouts and issued one walk, only surrendering base-hits in the first, fifth and eighth innings. In his last four starts, Randall has defeated No. 17 Arkansas, No. 3 Kentucky, No. 25 Mississippi State and Auburn and is 4-0 with a 1.88 earned run average over 28.2 innings.   Tucker went 3-for-4 and established a new career hit record with a two-run homer in the second inning, while junior Nolan Fontana (Winter Garden, Fla.) chipped in with a 3-for-4, three-run performance and junior Mike Zunino (Cape Coral, Fla.) was 2-for-4 and matched the UF single-season record with his 23rd double. The Orange and Blue has now claimed its last six league series openers and six of its 10 hits on the night went for extra bases, courtesy of four doubles, a triple and Tucker’s round-tripper.   The Gators loaded the bases with none out against senior Jon Luke Jacobs (5-3) in the first inning and scored the game’s opening run on a sacrifice fly by senior Daniel Pigott (Ormond Beach, Fla.). Fontana had with a leadoff single through the left side of the infield, Tucker was hit by a pitch and Zunino singled into right field to fill the bases. Jacobs retired junior Brian Johnson (Cocoa Beach, Fla.) on an infield pop-up and a fly ball to the triangle in left field by Pigott, his fifth sac fly of the year, brought home Fontana. After a wild pitch advanced both runners into scoring position, Jacobs had freshman Casey Turgeon (Palm Harbor, Fla.) fly out to left field to keep the deficit at a run.   UF expanded its lead to 5-0 in the second on an RBI triple by freshman Josh Tobias (Greensboro, N.C.), a sacrifice fly by junior Vickash Ramjit (Miami, Fla.) and a two-run homer by Tucker that enabled him to become the Gators’ all-time hit leader. Freshman Justin Shafer (Lake Wales, Fla.) was plunked to begin the inning and came around to score on Tobias’ line-drive off the right-field wall that resulted in his second three-bagger of the season. Ramjit plated Tobias with his second sac fly to straightaway center field and Fontana collected his second hit of the night with a double into right center. Tucker stepped to the plate and tagged a 1-1 offering from Jacobs over the right-field wall for his 13th homer and his 320th career hit to surpass the previous record of 319 held by Mark Ellis (1996-99). When Tucker broke Brad Wilkerson’s school record for career RBI earlier this season he did it with a round-tripper against William & Mary on Feb. 25. Sophomore Jay Wade replaced Jacobs (1.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R) and had Zunino ground out before hitting Johnson for the Gators’ third HBP of the game.     Zunino delivered Florida’s third sacrifice fly of the outing in the fourth to bring in Fontana for a 6-0 advantage. Fontana walked with one down and moved into scoring position with his 11th stolen base in 11 attempts this year. Tucker singled into left field for runners on the corners and Zunino lofted his team-leading eighth sac fly to right to bring home Fontana with his third run.   Randall retired 10-consecutive Auburn batters before senior Justin Bryant reached on an error by Tobias to start the home part of the fifth. A fielder’s choice by junior Patrick Savage forced Bryant at second base and sophomore Dan Glevenyak poked a single up the middle for the Tigers’ first hit since the opening frame. Randall pitched out of trouble by having sophomore Blake Austin hit into an inning-ending 5-3 double play.   Zunino matched the school’s single-season record with his 23rd double with one down in the ninth, equaling his output from 2012. Florida held a 10-3 advantage in hits and will send Johnson (5-4, 4.29) to the bump in tomorrow’s game two at 7 p.m. ET against Tiger freshman Daniel Koger (3-4, 2.76). The contest can be heard on Country 103.7 The Gator with Jeff Cardozo and Steve Russell.

Women's Tennis Defeats Michigan, 4-0, to Reach NCAA Quarterfinals

After a two-hour rain delay, Florida battled past Michigan to win the doubles point and then swamped the Wolverines in singles en route to a 4-0 victory and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Women’s Tennis Championships at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex late Thursday evening.   The second-seeded Gators (24-1) won their 19th consecutive match and recorded the 899th victory in program history to reach the quarterfinals for the 26th time in the 31-year history of the event.   Florida needed a comeback win from the doubles pair of Lauren Embree (Marco Island, Fla.) and Joanna Mather (Duluth, Ga.) to earn the doubles point and that Gators carried that momentum onto the singles courts where they won the first set on all six courts, with Embree, Olivia Janowicz (Palm Bay, Fla.) and Sofie Oyen (Leopoldsburg, Belgium) able to finish quickly and secure the team victory shortly before midnight.   “The first hour and a half was tough,” UF head coach Roland Thornqvist said. “Doubles was very close. I was very happy to see our doubles teams keep their heads and communicate very well. I thought the singles matches were outstanding. On courts 4, 5 and 6 we were about as good as we played all year and that comes out at a great time. We’re moving well, we’re playing smart, we can handle ups and downs and we handle mistakes well.”   Janowicz was the first to complete her singles match, taking the 6-1, 6-3 victory against Michelle Sulahian and give UF a 2-0 lead. The Gator sophomore took a 3-1 lead, up two breaks in the second set and rode that to her eighth consecutive win and the 55th victory of her career.   Moments later, Embree polished off Brooke Bolender, 6-4, 6-1 and gave Florida a 3-0 lead, as the Gator All-American clocked in her 16th straight singles victory. Embree trailed 3-0 to start the match before she ripped off four consecutive games. The next two games were breaks, but Embree served out for the first set and won the first three games of the second. Boldender took Embree’s serve, but the Embree answered by winning the final three games, including her next serve at love to collect the victory.   Oyen provided the clinching match win when she defeated Sarah Lee, 6-1, 6-3, and tallied the 50th singles win of her career. The Gator sophomore improved to a team-best 21-1, finishing her match just as Alexandra Cercone (Seminole, Fla.) was two points from her match on court five, which was halted as soon as Oyen collected her victory on court four. Oyen has won her singles match in each of UF’s first three rounds of the NCAA Championships, the only Gator able to do so.   The Gators won an important and exciting doubles point, as the tandem of Lauren Embree and Joanna Mather rallied for a 9-7 victory to clinch the 1-0 team lead after Michigan (21-8) took the 8-5 decision on court one, before Alexandra Cercone and Caroline Hitimana (Waterloo, Belgium) earned the 8-2 win on court three.   Embree and Mather, who won their 23rd consecutive match – the third-longest run in program history, found themselves down a break and 7-5 after missing out on all three break points in the previous game. The veteran Gator pair quickly regrouped and capitalized on its third break point in the 13th game and Mather held for 7-all. Embree then ripped a forehand cross court winner at break point in the next game and served out for the victory against Mimi Nguyen and Michelle Sulahian. The Gator pair improved to 52-7 overall, including a 48-1 record in dual match action, a win total that ranks second all-time in UF history in team competition. Individually, the win marked Mather’s 109th of her career, tying her with Dawn Buth (1995-98) for seventh in Gator history. Embree improved to a stellar 18-0 in doubles-point clinching matches in her career.   “If we have good communication, they have a knack for finding ways to get into matches,” Thornqvist said of Embree and Mather. “We started to own the net.”   Cercone and Hitimana found themselves down 2-0 early against Kristy Dodge and Sarah Lee, before Hitimana got things rolling for the Gators, who ripped off the next eight games to win their seventh straight match. The win was Hitimana’s 55th doubles victory of her career.

6-6 Oklahoma State Transfer to be Tallest Player in UF Women's History

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- In facing 6-foot-8 Baylor center Brittney Griner, Florida women’s coach Amanda Butler got an up-close look at how size -- extreme, in this case -- impacts just about everything on the basketball court. 

Not that Butler needed reminding of that, of course.

But starting next fall, Butler will experience giant post play in her very own gym, thanks to the arrival of Oklahoma State transfer Vicky McIntyre, who at 6-6 will be the tallest player in the 40-year history of the UF program.

“I’ve never really had someone like her, so I really don’t know what to do,” said Butler, who can’t wait to take on her new (and very large) dilemma.

Like they say, size matters. It matters even more when accompanied with skills.

McIntyre, who per NCAA transfer rules will have to sit out the 2012-13 season, averaged 11.2 points and 5.5 rebounds while starting 17 of 31 games as a freshman in ’10-11. Those numbers, however, dipped considerably (4 points, 4.1 rebounds, just nine starts) as a sophomore, but there were circumstances.

A second-team all-state selection out of Omaha, Neb., McIntyre was extremely close to OSU coach Kurt Budke and assistant coach/recruiting coordinator Miranda Serna. Both were killed in a plane crash last Nov. 17 in Perry County, Ark. -- just four days into the start of the ’11-12 season.

McIntyre was not as close to OSU associate head coach Jim Littell, who was promoted to replace Budke and had other plans for the low-post position. The emotional scars, coupled with her lack of playing time, sent McIntyre into the offseason looking for a change of scenery.

“She’s had some adversity in her life the last few months,” Butler said. “But she’s starting a new life at Florida.”

And McIntyre has demonstrated nothing but enthusiasm for that change since arriving last week for the start of the summer “A” semester.

“We get a kid with her size and length, but now combine with that the experience she gained in Big 12 program, plus the work ethic, attitude and excitement about being a Gator," Butler said. "That’s a winning combination.”

During her successful freshman season, McIntyre finished sixth in the Big 12 in field-goal percentage (49.5) and fourth in blocked shots (2.1 per game).

She had 14 points and eight rebounds in a win against Colorado, had a stretch of four straight games in double-figures scoring, tallied a career-high 24 points (to go with eight boards) against Iowa State, and went for 21 points and nine rebounds in a loss to Texas Tech in the conference tournament title game.

For Butler, just as intriguing as those numbers are the ones that won’t necessarily show up on McIntyre's line in the box score.

“We're talking about a player that can alter everything,” Butler said. “Like how you want to play defense and the level of attack your guards may want to have knowing an individual like that is behind you. I'm just thrilled with the possibilities.”

McIntyre chose UF after also visiting Arkansas in April.

Samford Takes Down No. 3 UF Baseball, 12-7; Tucker Ties School's Career Hit Record

Samford sophomore C.K. Irby limited No. 3 Florida (38-15) to one run and one hit over five innings and the nation’s home-run leader, senior Brandon Miller (2-for-4), belted a pair of two-run homers as the Bulldogs (34-19) notched a 12-7 victory on Tuesday night at Joe Lee Griffin Field. For the Gators, senior Preston Tucker (Tampa, Fla.) was 2-for-3 to match Mark Ellis’ school-record total of 319 career hits.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning on a bases-loaded, two-out triple by Irby (2-for-5) off of freshman Johnny Magliozzi (East Milton, Mass.) (4-3). Senior Brad Moss singled through the left side with one out and sophomore Phillip Ervin (2-for-4, two runs) singled into center field with two down before Miller drew a free pass to fill the bags. Irby helped his own cause with a triple to deep center field that gave Bulldogs a three-run cushion.

A two-run homer by junior Zeth Stone over the right-field wall in the second inning moved the hosts ahead by a 5-0 count. Sophomore Tyler Filliben (3-for-3) legged out a bunt single up the third-base line with one down and Stone followed with his first round-tripper of the season. Consecutive two-out singles by Saxon Butler (2-for-4) and Ervin ended the night for Magliozzi (1.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R). Freshman Ryan Harris (Jupiter, Fla.) caught Miller looking on strikes to end the frame.

Freshman Taylor Gushue (Boca Raton, Fla.) drew a one-out walk from Irby in the third and stole his first career base to move into scoring position. Irby responded by having junior Nolan Fontana (Winter Garden, Fla.) and Tucker each fly out.

Miller belted his 19th of the campaign with Butler aboard in the fourth for a 7-0 margin. Butler was hit by a pitch with one out and Miller delivered a round-tripper to left field.

Senior Jeff Moyer (Winter Springs, Fla.) began the fifth with the Gators’ first hit, a double to left field. A grounder by freshman Josh Tobias (Greensboro, N.C.) pushed Moyer to third and Gushue put the visitors on the board with an RBI grounder to second base.

Redshirt junior Christiaan Durdaller was plunked by Harris (2.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 K) to start the bottom of the stanza, bringing sophomore Keenan Kish (Worcester, Pa.) into the contest. Filliben collected his third hit of the night with a base-knock into left center to drive in his teammate for an 8-1 count.

After Irby worked five strong innings, Tucker greeted senior Joseph Burns in the sixth with a single into left field, bringing him within one of tying Ellis’ school standard. When junior Brian Johnson (Cocoa Beach, Fla.) was hit by a pitch with one down, freshman Andreas Gracia replaced Burns. Senior Daniel Pigott’s (Ormond Beach, Fla.) grounder was misplayed by second baseman Stone to load the bases with one out and freshman Justin Shafer (Lake Wales, Fla.) brought home Tucker with a sacrifice fly to straightaway center field for an 8-2 deficit. Gracia had Moyer ground out to second base to complete the inning.

Miller connected on his second dinger of the night with two down in the home part of the inning for a 10-2 score. Ervin was hit by a pitch and moved into scoring position with his team-leading 14th theft before Miller ripped his 20th homer over the left-field wall.

Junior Mike Zunino (Cape Coral, Fla.) brought the Gators within 10-5 in the seventh with a towering three-run blast into the trees overlooking left field. Fontana had drawn a two-out walk from Gracia and Tucker smashed a hard single to equal Ellis’ standard that has stood since 1999. Zunino cranked a 1-0 pitch out of the yard for his team-leading 14th homer, the second-straight contest that he has gone deep. Junior Sean Handlan came in for Gracia (1.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R) and issued a four-pitch walk to Johnson. Senior Tyler Vanderheiden was summoned from the bullpen and Pigott (2-for-4) moved Johnson over with a single through the right side of the infield. The reliever had Shafer fly out after a long at bat to strand the runners and keep the Bulldogs up by five runs.

Kish worked two innings, allowing three hits and two runs, and sophomore Daniel Gibson (Lutz, Fla.) took the hill prior to Samford’s seventh at bat. Junior Tommy Corbin (2-for-5) led off with a single into right field, went to second on a wild pitch and Filliben walked for two runners aboard. Stone executed a sacrifice bunt to advance his teammates into scoring position and Moss was walked intentionally to load the bases with one down. Butler delivered a two-run single for a 12-5, bringing freshman Bobby Poyner (Wellington, Fla.) to the mound for Gibson (0.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R). The southpaw worked out of the jam by having Ervin pop out and Miller foul out to Zunino.

Florida plated two runs in the ninth on a run-scoring double by Johnson and an RBI single by Pigott to finalize the 12-7 margin. Tucker walked with one down against junior Arthur Strauss and advanced to second on a grounder by redshirt freshman pinch hitter Connor Mitchell (Tampa, Fla.). Johnson’s 10th two-bagger of the year scored Tucker and he was replaced by sophomore pinch runner Jonathon Crawford (Okeechobee, Fla.), who advanced to third base on a passed ball and came in on an infield hit by Pigott.

SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships

SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships: At Baton Rouge, LSU junior Kimberlyn Duncan swept 100-meter and 200-meter titles in record-breaking fashion to guide the Tigers to their fifth SEC Outdoor crown in six seasons at Bernie Moore Stadium.

Florida finished in second place in the final women's team standings with 138 points followed by Arkansas (111.5) in third place, Georgia (108) in fourth place.

On the men's side, Arkansas defended its SEC Outdoor championship with 196 points. With 90 points on Sunday, the Tigers outlasted Georgia (109) for second place overall, while Florida (93) followed in fourth.