Florida baseball opened up Southeastern Conference play with a 6-4 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide on Friday.
Hunter Barco was brilliant for eight innings, striking out 10 and allowing just one run on four hits. It looked like Florida’s ace would go the distance until a solo shot from Alabama’s Andrew Pinckney in the eighth broke up the shutout and Barco’s pitch count rose to a season-high 106.
Nick Ficarrotta came in to close things out in the ninth, but he stumbled for the first time since the season opener. He managed just one out before loading the bases; then things began to unravel. An error from second baseman Colby Halter allowed two runs to score and Pinckney came up to the plate as the potential tying run with men on second and third.
Kevin O’Sullivan pulled Ficarrotta and turned to redshirt freshman Blake Purnell, who promptly hit the first batter he faced. The infield was too slow on a potential game-ending double play and allowed another run to score. Fortunately, the Gators got a second chance to turn two and executed it perfectly to earn the first conference win of the season.
The Fabian brothers made sure that UF got out to an early lead. Deric Fabian drove in Josh Rivera and Kendrick Calilao with a single in the second inning, and Jud Fabian met his younger brother at the plate after knocking one out of the ballpark.
BT Riopelle added another run with a homer to deep right field in the third inning. Earlier in the at-bat, the umpire denied a request for time as the pitcher began his motion, but Riopelle got the last laugh and a much-needed insurance run for the Gators.
Those first five runs were charged to Alabama’s starter Garrett McMillan. He lasted just five innings and forced the Tide to burn at least one extra bullpen arm in the first game of the series. Brock Guffey pitched three innings in relief of McMillan before turning the ball over to freshman Luke Holman for the ninth.
Florida didn’t do much scoring after McMillan left the game, but Guffey could be done for the weekend after 50 pitches. The Gators mustered just four hits and two walks against the bullpen, but a run did cross in the seventh to make things 6-0.
Taking the first game of the series is exactly what Florida needed after getting off to a slow start in the last road series against Miami, but the ninth-inning drama is concerning. If Alabama can get that kind of momentum going earlier in the game, Florida might be in trouble.
Brandon Sproat takes the mound for the Gators on Saturday at 7 p.m. EDT.
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