It may have taken 10 innings, but Florida managed to escape a pitching duel with rival FSU at home on Tuesday night. The Gators had just two hits after the third inning, but one of them proved to be valuable as Kendrick Calilao crushed a walk-off homer over the wall after entering as a pinch-hitter earlier in the game, securing a 3-2 win.
The Seminoles (16-13) made five errors, and lights-out performances from UF pitchers Garrett Milchin and Jack Leftwich were enough to even the two-game season series.
Florida (22-11) avenged a 10-2 loss in Game 1 last month when Milchin struggled tremendously. Against FSU this time around, he was much better. He pitched six innings, allowing just three hits and two runs. He also struck out five batters.
UF’s lineup only managed four hits all game, but it got on the scoreboard first in the second inning. The Seminoles put three batters on base after two errors and a walk, and a pair of sac-flies from Jordan Butler and Colby Halter put Florida up 2-0. It got a runner to third in the following inning, but nothing came of it.
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The Gators couldn’t hold onto the lead, though, as Milchin gave up a leadoff walk in the fourth inning followed by an RBI double by Robby Martin. After a sacrifice groundout later in the inning, FSU managed to tie the game at two, though the damage ended with that.
That started an offensive cold streak for both teams. Milchin was replaced at the top of the seventh by Leftwich, who pitched the rest of the way and had a fantastic outing after throwing just eight pitches last weekend (all walks). It was arguably his best game of the season, as he didn’t allow any hits in four innings. He also struck out seven batters while walking just one.
But Florida struggled to hit off a committee of FSU relievers. Its best chance to break the tie came in the seventh inning, when it stranded two on base. That threat was ended when Calilao, who entered the game as a pinch hitter, struck out looking on his first plate appearance.
He got his chance at redemption at the bottom of the tenth inning, though. Florida State pitcher Clayton Kwiatkowski entered the game and put away his first two batters, and with two outs, UF’s last chance in the inning rested on Calilao’s shoulders.
He didn’t disappoint, and his walk-off home run secured a season split with the Seminoles. Florida returns to conference play action on Friday when 11-19 Missouri comes to town. The Gators will look to get back to their series-winning ways against the Tigers, and first pitch for Game 1 is set for 6:30 p.m. EDT.
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