Tag: Tyler Nesbitt

Game Preview: Gators looking for revenge vs Vols in SEC Tournament championship

After outscoring Alabama and Texas A&M 20-6 on Saturday, the Gators will play for the SEC Tournament championship against Tennessee at 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday.

Florida baseball was mercy-ruled by Texas A&M on Thursday and there were few at that point who would have predicted a Gators run to the championship game of the Southeastern Conference Tournament, but that’s precisely where [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag] and Co. find themselves on Sunday staring down No. 1 Tennessee in Hoover, Alabama.

The Gators were swept by the Volunteers at home in late April and the Tennessee players celebrated with some of the football team’s gear. That rubbed Gator Nation the wrong way and had many questioning whether the baseball team wrote a check the football team couldn’t cash come the fall. Before [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s group gets a chance at revenge, the baseball team will get another shot at the Vols and it comes while UF is playing its best ball of the season.

In a split-double header against Alabama and No. 5 Texas A&M on Saturday, Florida outscored its opponents 20-6, including a 9-0 revenge shutout of the Aggies. There’s no guarantee that things carry over from day to day, but the entire lineup is hitting well and, perhaps even more shockingly, the pitching has held up like a College World Series caliber staff would.

The problem is Florida has run deep into its well of pitchers and we’re approaching short-rest territory with plenty of relievers and maybe even a starter. Regionals begin on June 3, so running [autotag]Brandon Sproat[/autotag] out there on four-days rest is a bit iffy considering he’ll have to go again so soon. That said, who is left? [autotag]Garrett Milchin[/autotag]? [autotag]Tyler Nesbitt[/autotag]? Against Tennessee, you want [autotag]Hunter Barco[/autotag] or Sproat, and the former is shut down for the year.

Whoever it is, they’ll need some run support against the best offense in the country. [autotag]Jud Fabian[/autotag] seems to be back to his normal hitting self and [autotag]Wyatt Langford[/autotag] continues to make the SEC coaches pay for not naming him to the conference’s First Team. The bottom of the order is also hitting well. [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] is the hottest No. 6 hitter in the country right now, and even [autotag]Mac Guscette[/autotag] is out there blasting home runs in multi-hit games.

Everything is rolling for the Gators right now. They just need to finish it off.

“We’re here,” [autotag]Timmy Manning[/autotag] said. “We might as well win.”

Florida baseball mercy ruled in SEC Tournament by Texas A&M

The bad news: Florida got mercy-ruled by Texas A&M in the postseason
The good news: We only had to watch seven innings of ugly baseball

The Florida Gators baseball team was embarrassed in the SEC Tournament Thursday by Texas A&M. The Aggies won 10-0 thanks to a 7-run sixth inning.

Freshman [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] got the start for the Gators, but he looked far from the pitcher that went seven scoreless innings last week against South Carolina with 10 strikeouts. Getting ahead of batters was an issue all night and eventually, Neely’s lack of control led to a two-run shot from Trey Werner in the third.

During a mid-game interview, head coach [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag] said that he liked what he saw from Neely early on, but things would just go from bad to worse. He’d escape the fourth despite giving up a single, walk and double in the inning thanks to a double play to get the leadoff baserunner.

Offensively, Florida was at its worst. Out ahead of a pitcher who came into the game with a 6.10 ERA, the Gators struck out seven times to Aggies starter Micah Dallas. [autotag]Wyatt Langford[/autotag] almost led things off with a leadoff dinger, but Jordan Thompson caught the ball and held onto it as he slammed into the centerfield wall. After that, Florida’s bats looked lost at the plate aside from a [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] single in the second.

A bit of trouble came in the third after [autotag]Colby Halter[/autotag] reached on an error from shortstop Kole Kaler and [autotag]Sterlin Thompson[/autotag] stayed in the box to take a ball off the elbow, bringing up [autotag]Jud Fabian[/autotag] to the plate. The junior saw nine pitches in the at-bat but ultimately hit a grounder right to Werner at third for the unassisted final out of the inning.

“(Dallas) has done a really nice job locating his breaking ball,” Texas A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “We got fortunate on the first pitch of the game that that ball stayed in the ballpark. He hurt himself with a few baserunners there, but he made a really nice pitch to Fabian. He’s a tough hitter.”

Sully met with his team before the fifth, but it didn’t change much. Dallas struck out two to close out his final inning of the day in a 1-2-3 fashion. Neely’s day also ended in the fifth, but it came in the middle of an inning after a third run scored on a Jack Moss single. In came [autotag]Jameson Fisher[/autotag] to get the final out of the frame.

Joseph Menefee picked up right where Dallas left off in the sixth, baffling the UF hitters. Langford struck out swinging, Thompson struck out looking and Fabian went do hacking. Pain.

Then, the floodgates opened up. The Aggies put together a 7-spot in the inning they’ve done the most damage all year. According to the SEC Network broadcast, Texas A&M has outscored opponents 64-15 in the sixth inning. To the tune of three homers, TAMU went up 10-0 and put the tournament mercy rule into play. [autotag]Phillip Abner[/autotag] and [autotag]Tyler Nesbitt[/autotag] pitched in relief of Jameson in the inning.

The Gators went down 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh, but the game did end in some controversy. Caglianone grounded out on a ball that he never left the box for because he thought it hit his foot. The umpires ruled it fair and the game ended with the play being non-reviewable.

That sets up a matchup with the Arkansas Razorbacks to open Friday for the Gators. Florida did take two of three against Arkansas during the regular season, but the team will be on its third pitcher coming off a blowout loss. That’s not an ideal situation to go into staring down elimination.

[mm-video type=video id=01g40pw6g5gcckmvkbdp playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g40pw6g5gcckmvkbdp/01g40pw6g5gcckmvkbdp-1143e36c4239eb10ec343b4aa0aa6d96.jpg]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Florida baseball hits walk-off HR versus No. 20 Florida State

Florida baseball’s Sterlin Thompson hit a walk-off, two-run bomb to give his team the 7-5 victory over Florida State on Tuesday.

Florida baseball second baseman [autotag]Sterlin Thompson[/autotag] entered his at-bat in the bottom of the ninth in a tied ballgame versus No. 20 Florida State 0-for-2 with a walk. With left fielder [autotag]Wyatt Langford[/autotag] on second as the go-ahead runner, he took the first two pitches for a ball and a strike.

Then the Seminoles reliever Andrew Armstrong then lofted a fastball over the heart of the plate. Thompson kept his eyes locked on the baseball and launched the pitch into orbit where it eventually landed in the left-field berm. The walk-off bomb gave the Gators the 7-5 victory against Florida State on Tuesday at Condron Ballpark.

Langford kept raking as he has through most of SEC play. He hit a solo shot to lead off the game and did it again in the third inning.

FSU responded in the top of the second with three runs off of Florida starter [autotag]Nick Ficarrotta[/autotag] via a two-run shot and an RBI double.

Just like a seesaw, the momentum then shifted back and forth. It tilted toward the Gators in the bottom of the third as they scored four runs to take the lead back at 5-3. Then it went back to the Seminoles in the fourth when they tied the game.

The game became a pitcher’s duel from the fifth inning on between Florida’s [autotag]Tyler Nesbitt[/autotag] and Florida State’s Jonah Scolaro. Nesbitt went 3 1/3 innings, allowing only one hit that came at the start of the ninth. Scolaro tossed 4 1/3 innings, giving up two hits, a walk and an earned run.

Langford then singled in the ninth, which was then followed by Thompson’s walk-off home run to give the Gators the game and series victory. Langford finished the evening three for five with two homers and two RBIs. Thompson and designated hitter [autotag]Jac Cagilanone[/autotag] also recorded two hits.

Florida will stay at home this weekend as it will face South Carolina in the regular-season finale. The first game of the series is Thursday at 7 p.m. and can be seen on SEC Network+.

[mm-video type=video id=01g2tjy72gxzzkgtemb2 playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g2tjy72gxzzkgtemb2/01g2tjy72gxzzkgtemb2-58e19f3de57855c69ec31ad89976581f.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=83874,83858,83808]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Florida baseball shuts down Bethune-Cookman in mid-week contest

Florida baseball shut down the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats 7-0 on Tuesday at Condron Ballpark.

Florida baseball pitchers [autotag]Tyler Nesbitt[/autotag] and [autotag]Nick Ficarrotta[/autotag] combined for eight shutout innings in a 7-0 midweek victory over the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats at Condron Ballpark on Tuesday evening. Nesbitt only surrendered four hits and two walks and struck out four while Ficarrotta allowed only one base knock and no free passes while striking out six in four innings each.

Head coach [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag]’s lineup didn’t disappoint, either. The Gators jumped out in front early to a 3-0 lead after two innings.

Left fielder [autotag]Wyatt Langford[/autotag] walked to start the game and scored after the Wildcats committed a throwing error on a second baseman [autotag]Sterlin Thompson[/autotag] single. First baseman [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] singled home Thompson two batters later. In the second with the bases loaded, Thompson walked to send catcher [autotag]Mac Guscette[/autotag] home.

Florida’s bats then fell silent until the seventh inning when Langford homered to left field and then added three more runs in the next frame to win 7-0.

Langford finished the game one for one with his solo shot in the seventh but also earned three walks. Shortstop [autotag]Joshua Rivera[/autotag] went 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI.

O’Sullivan’s team will try to keep the hot steak going when it travels to Columbia, Missouri, to face the Tigers for the Gators’ second to last regular-season weekend series. The action starts Friday at 7 p.m. EDT and can be seen on SEC Network+.

[mm-video type=video id=01g1gqdecftzmqk82b42 playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g1gqdecftzmqk82b42/01g1gqdecftzmqk82b42-a08b663706c51a760c462832c7e3b72c.jpg]

[listicle id=83383]

[listicle id=83408]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Game Preview: Florida baseball looking to complete season sweep of Bethune Cookman

The Gators won last Tuesday’s game 18-3, so there are some pretty big expectations for tonight’s matchup against Bethune-Cookman.

Looking back, Florida’s narrow 3-2 win over Bethune-Cookman in March was really the start of the Gators’ struggles. [autotag]Jud Fabian[/autotag]’s two homers lifted UF to victory, but something didn’t seem right then and the team is still looking to find its groove with only two weekend series left to play.

With that in mind, Florida is hopeful to take the second game of the series against the Wildcats in a convincing fashion and put an end to the inconsistencies that have plagued this season.

The team seems to be turning the corner with a four-game winning streak under its belt. The offense has picked up and led UF to an 18-3 blowout of South Florida last Tuesday and a three-game sweep of the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Nick Pogue got the midweek start last time around for UF against Bethune-Cookman, but he took the mound Sunday so Kevin O’Sullivan will turn to [autotag]Tyler Nesbitt[/autotag] instead. Nesbitt isn’t known for going deep into games, so this should be a heavy bullpen day as well.

Florida won’t be taking Bethune-Cookman lightly after the last matchup ended with such a close score, and it’s likely we see the offense pile up runs as they did against USF. The playoffs are coming and Florida needs to be in fifth gear to make it out of a regional alive. This is the kind of game that allows you to kick in the clutch and take things up a level for the remainder of the season.

Gators’ power surge runs USF Bulls out of Gainesville

Florida unleashed the beast tonight and got revenge for the loss in the regionals last year.

It has been a disappointing season for Florida baseball as the schedule winds down into the final weeks, with the Gators severely underperforming their projections due to a dearth of reliable pitching and some untimely cold streaks by the bats. With just 12 games remaining until the start of the Southeastern Conference Tournament, UF is in dire need of a jumpstart if the Orange and Blue has any hopes of making the postseason.

On Tuesday night, Florida got that jolt of power from its bats against the South Florida Bulls in an 18-3 victory at Condron Family Ballpark to avenge a shocking loss in the opening round of the regionals last year. [autotag]Nick Pogue[/autotag] got the start on the bump and looked strong despite a few blemishes, tossing four innings of two-run ball while the bats caught fire.

The Bulls struck in the top of the first with a solitary run but the Gators began to show their fury in the bottom half of the frame, with [autotag]Jud Fabian[/autotag] launching a two-run home run to make it a 2-1 score. After a scoreless top of the second, Florida unleashed the beast with a trio of home runs — a solo shot by [autotag]Mac Guscette[/autotag], then a grand slam for Fabian immediately followed by a back-to-back knock by [autotag]BT Riopelle[/autotag] to push the lead to 8-1.

USF plated a run thanks to a throwing error attempting to gun down the leadoff hitter, who made it across on a sac fly to add to the 8-2 score. But the Gators were not complacent with a six-run lead and pushed across a pair of runs on a [autotag]Wyatt Langford[/autotag] double and a [autotag]Sterlin Thompson[/autotag] sac fly to make it a 10-2 game.

Pogue clicked on cruise control for the next couple of innings while the Gators added a six-spot on a Guscette fielder’s choice, followed by a bases-loaded bloop single by Thompson with two outs, and then Fabian’s third dinger of the day immediately following in the fourth that launched the score to a 16-2 blowout. His three homers and eight RBI were already career highs for the elder Fabian before the game was even halfway over.

[autotag]Tyler Nesbitt[/autotag] took over in the fifth along with a few other fielding adjustments and shut down USF in order, and the Gators did the same in the bottom half of the frame. Florida tacked on another in the bottom of the sixth on a sac fly that followed [autotag]Kris Armstrong[/autotag]’s triple and nearly padded the lead even more but failed to capitalize further for a 17-2 tally.

[autotag]Karl Hartman[/autotag] took over in the seventh, and after striking out the first batter on a full count, hit the next one followed by a base-on-balls but escaped damage thanks to a strikeout and a fielder’s choice to close out the inning. The Gators made some noise in the bottom half but failed to score. [autotag]Anthony Ursitti[/autotag] came in for the eighth and gave up a run after surrendering a leadoff single along with a walk followed by another single and a fielder’s choice to make it a 17-3 game.

Florida scored its 18th run — more than any other game this season — on a [autotag]Ty Evans[/autotag] solo home run and threatened to score more before going down in the bottom of the eighth. Ursitti came back out to close things out, retiring the first two batters he face before an error by [autotag]Josh Rivera[/autotag] unmercifully prolonged the inevitable. A wild pitch and a walk strung things along further before a strikeout finally clinched the game.

The Gators hit the road this weekend for a weekend series against the Mississippi State Bulldogs starting on Friday at 8 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network and can be heard on ESPN 98.1FM/850AM WRUF.

[mm-video type=video id=01g1gqdecftzmqk82b42 playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g1gqdecftzmqk82b42/01g1gqdecftzmqk82b42-a08b663706c51a760c462832c7e3b72c.jpg]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Florida baseball needs extras to prevent sweep by Vanderbilt

Both Fabian brothers went year, and Deric’s dinger couldn’t have come at a better time.

Florida baseball needed an extra inning on Sunday to prevent the sweep against Vanderbilt, but [autotag]Deric Fabian[/autotag] gave the Gators the 4-3 win with a tenth inning shot over the 35-foot wall in left field.

It wasn’t the first clutch homer of the night as the Commodores tied things up in the bottom of the ninth with two strikes and two outs on the board. Down 3-1, designated hitter Jack Bulger hit a two-run home run to left to extend the game. [autotag]Tyler Nesbitt[/autotag] blew the eight-out save but ended up earning the win after coming back out for the tenth.

Nesbitt’s slip-up is unforutnate because it overshadows an exceptional start from [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag]. In the second start of his college career — the first coming last weekend aganst Arkansas — Neely made a strong bid to take over the Sunday slot in the rotation with seven strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings of one-run baseball. Vanderbilt managed just three hits and one walk against him.

The afternoon began with four-straight singles from Florida. [autotag]Colby Halter[/autotag] was tagged out trying to swipe second base, but Wyatt Langford’s hit drove in [autotag]Jud Fabian[/autotag] and a [autotag]BT Riopelle[/autotag] fielder’s choice brought in [autotag]Sterlin Thompson[/autotag] for an early 2-0 lead.

The elder Fabian added an insurance in the form of a long ball to left center field during the third, and Vanderbilt responded in the fifth with a solo shot from first baseman Parker Noland. Scoring opportunities were hard to come by after that until the late-inning drama except for a “triple” by Riopelle in the sixth that was the result of a misplayed fly ball in left. Unfortunately, Riopelle was thrown out at home trying to get the inside-the-park home run.

Although, Florida dropped the series, the Gators ended things on the right note and showed some signs of life in a few areas that have been a concern recently. Neely gave Kevin O’Sullivan everything he needs from a Sunday starter and should get the ball again in Game 3 against Tennessee. Nesbitt was also quite good aside from the home run and tested his stamina with 3 2/3 innings pitched.

If those two can continue to play at this level, Florida’s pitching staff will finally have some depth to fall back on.

The other area of improvement is the clutch hitting from the Fabian brothers. Deric has been struggling, but a go-ahead home run in extras is the kind of at-bat that shifts the long-term momentum for a batter.

Florida will host Stetson on Tuesday before welcoming No. 1 Tennessee into town for a weekend series. Now 6-9 in conference play, Florida needs to take at least one from the best team in the country.

[mm-video type=video id=01g0mfxnrkwfbjydq7ca playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g0mfxnrkwfbjydq7ca/01g0mfxnrkwfbjydq7ca-837e1b5942895af848a48f17a11ea36a.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=82465,82435]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Florida falters down the stretch vs Vandy, drops weekend series

The Gators were swinging some mightly lumber early on led by BT Riopelle but the pitching completely sputtered.

Florida baseball continued to find ways to seize defeat from the jaws of victory in Southeastern Conference play on Saturday night, surrendering an early lead and ultimately losing in Nashville to the Vanderbilt Commodores, 8-6. The Gators brought the bats in the second game of the weekend series, crushing four dingers — including three by catcher [autotag]BT Riopelle[/autotag] — but simply did not have the pitching needed to keep the team buoyant during a middle-inning push by the opposition.

The first inning was quiet for both teams, but Riopelle led off the second with his first dinger of the day against starter Carter Holton for a 1-0 lead. Gators starter [autotag]Brandon Sproat[/autotag] kept the ‘Dores off the board for the opening three frames, going 1-2-3 in the first and third innings while escaping a leadoff hit and a follow-up walk in the second inning.

Florida struck again in the top of the third, landing three runs on a majestic opposite-field two-run Riopelle homer and a [autotag]Josh Rivera[/autotag] round-tripper a batter later; [autotag]Kendrick Calilao[/autotag] gave the ball a good run himself between the two. Vandy would answer in the bottom half with a leadoff solo home run by Dominic Keegan to get on the board and make it a 4-1 game, signaling the turning point for the Commodores.

The home team added another in the fifth inning and then exploded in the sixth, knocking Sproat out of the game after 5 2/3 innings having given up eight hits and six earned runs — thanks in large part to inherited runners scoring off [autotag]Tyler Nesbitt[/autotag] after his departure. Vanderbilt took a 6-4 lead into the seventh and would not trail again.

The Gators were able to tie things up in the top of the following frame thanks to Riopelle’s third dong — another two-run shot — that gave the Orange and Blue some hope. However, Nesbitt got in trouble, and [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag] turned to his most trusted reliever [autotag]Blake Purnell[/autotag] to put out the fire. My friends, I regret to tell you that this story does not end like you hoped, as the sidearmer allowed a runner across the plate and gave the ‘Dores a lead they would not relinquish.

Vanderbilt added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth off [autotag]Ryan Slater[/autotag] before closing things out in the ninth for the win. The two teams meet tomorrow at 1 p.m. EDT on ESPN2 as the Gators try to prevent another SEC road sweep.

[mm-video type=video id=01g0pp56cxv5n8j26prp playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g0pp56cxv5n8j26prp/01g0pp56cxv5n8j26prp-5beee4f5a8fb45fe17ea0eb8a04a3177.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=82435]

[listicle id=82367]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Florida baseball: Pogue’s shaky start dooms Gators against FSU

One step forward, two steps back. The Gators lose an ugly one to FSU after taking two of three from Arkansas.

Florida had a shot to take the season series from Florida State on Tuesday night, but the Seminoles rode a five-run first inning to a 5-0 victory in Tallahassee.

[autotag]Nick Pogue[/autotag] got the start for Florida but struggled to get just one out. After giving up back-to-back homers and allowing another man to hit safely, Pogue’s night was over after just 23 pitches. [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag] brought in [autotag]Tyler Nesbitt[/autotag] as a long reliever, but it took a while for him to settle in. Two more singles brought in another run to make it 4-0 and the final one came in as catcher [autotag]Mac Guscette[/autotag] threw out a runner attempting to steal second. At that point, trading outs for runs seemed necessary.

Normally, a five-run first means a high-scoring affair, but both clubs stayed quiet for the rest of the night. That’s good news for the Gators’ struggling bullpen and bad news for a veteran offense that should’ve been able to fight back. Instead, Florida managed just two hits all night and struck out 14 times.

Nesbitt worked through the third and then let [autotag]Nick Ficarrotta[/autotag] come in to eat 2 2/3 innings. [autotag]Phillip Abner[/autotag] pitched through the seventh, and [autotag]Karl Hartman[/autotag] impressed with a two-strikeout eighth. Ficarotta has been solid all year for the Gators, but Abner and Hartman could stand to become a bit more consistent. An outing like this against a club like FSU should earn them some favor in Sully’s book.

Vanderbilt is up next over the weekend as Florida returns to a more typical Friday-Saturday-Sunday schedule over the next few weeks. The Commodores are no joke but have a similar record to Florida and recently dropped out of the top 25. It’ll be a test run of sorts for the squad before hosting Tennessee the following week.

[mm-video type=video id=01g0f0rxsktz47exw68g playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g0f0rxsktz47exw68g/01g0f0rxsktz47exw68g-21a81c48cb240f6ee3f6a40dfa2487d5.jpg]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Florida baseball completes season sweep over FAMU with blowout win

That’s twice this season that Florida has put a beating on FAMU. Now let’s see it translate into conference play this weekend.

It wasn’t the 17-0 shutout Florida managed against Florida A&M earlier in the season, but the Gators took care of the Rattlers easily on Tuesday, 13-3.

The bulk of the damage came in the third and fourth frames as the Gators plated 10 runs in those two innings alone. Both Fabian brothers went deep in the bottom of the fourth marking the first occurrence of the brothers going yard in the same inning, and Derek finished the night with a team-high three RBIs while going 2-for-3 at the plate. Jud, [autotag]Josh Rivera[/autotag] and [autotag]Wyatt Langford[/autotag] all finished with three hits against FAMU.

On the mound, [autotag]Nick Pogue[/autotag] got the start and lasted three innings. It hasn’t been the easiest return from Tommy John for him, but holding the Rattlers hitless and scoreless should earn him some more playing time. [autotag]Nick Ficarrotta[/autotag] pitched two innings of one-hit ball as the first man out of the pen for UF.

[autotag]Tyler Nesbitt[/autotag] and [autotag]Phillip Abner[/autotag] worked the sixth and seventh innings, respectively. FAMU finally broke through in the eighth with [autotag]Timmy Manning[/autotag] on the bump. Three runs crossed but only one was earned. [autotag]Blake Purnell[/autotag] was the last pitcher out for the Gators and needed just 13 pitches to get through the ninth.

Winning this game isn’t going to do a ton for Florida’s confidence offensively but the pitching staff needed a relatively quiet night after the LSU and Georgia series. Up next is No. 2 Arkansas in Gainesville for an important Thursday-Friday-Saturday series and then the Gators hit the road to face Florida State and Vanderbilt the following week.

[mm-video type=video id=01fzxvey69v0kkv5sy74 playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fzxvey69v0kkv5sy74/01fzxvey69v0kkv5sy74-8371b93d98d976c05215867d90cdb544.jpg]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.