Gators Lose in Drawn-out Game Versus UCF
The No. 3 Florida Gators baseball team lost 12-9 to UCF in a four-plus-hour tug-of-war Wednesday night. The reigning Southeastern Conference champion allowed its American Conference rival to score in every inning but the first and eighth.
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The midweek matchup was in danger of being delayed or postponed because of heavy rain, but Mother Nature played on the side of the 6:00 p.m. first pitch. Despite wet seats, some fans still made the trip to McKethan Stadium.
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The Florida bats got hot in the first inning, as the Gators earned three runs thanks to RBIs by Kendrick Calilao and Nelson Maldonado.
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The Knights turned it around through the top of the fifth inning, scoring seven runs and getting eight hits. A throwing error in the fourth inning and a fielding error in the fifth paved the way for two of the seven UCF runs.
When the Gators finally got out of the half-inning, a popular song started their comeback.
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After three scoreless innings, freshman outfielder Jud Fabian’s sacrifice fly scored Austin Langworthy. Furthermore, Kirby McMullen pinch hit for Santino Miozzi, hitting a grand slam. It was his first collegiate career home run — and it happened to be with a full count and two outs. Five runs gave the Gators an 8-7 lead.
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The inning lasted so long that even the official Gators baseball Twitter account admin got the inning wrong.
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Despite the turnaround, the Gators did not keep the lead long. UCF kept Florida scoreless for another three innings and continued scoring on offense. Tyler Osik’s RBI single and Brandon Hernandez’s solo home run gave the Knights a 9-8 lead.
It did not end there, as UCF scored three more in the top of the ninth inning.
Now, Florida had one more attempt to rally. Maldonado hit a double and scored to bring the game within three runs, but Florida left three runners on base to end the game.
The team is now 6-4, losing three of four of its midweek games.
Florida Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan said his team’s lack of experience set the team apart from the Knights.
"We played three really good consecutive games in a row on Saturday and Sunday, and then obviously last night up in JU,” O’Sullivan said. “The bottom line is we got exposed on the mound with a lot of our young pitchers. A lot had to do with [UCF's] older, experienced, physical lineup and we've got to do a better job holding the runners and that type of thing. It's just one of those nights, but we'll learn from it and get better from it. We've had a lot of bright spots with a lot these freshmen—it just kind of—everything bottled up in one game."
O’Sullivan added some positives to take out of the performance.
"I think one of the bright spots, to be honest with you is Jacob Young (2-for-6) … he had a really good at-bat at the end of the game there against their closer,” O’Sullivan said. “And then, obviously Kirby McMullen with the grand slam was a bright spot, and I thought Kris Armstrong came in and did a nice job at the end there.”
What’s Next?
Florida remains at McKethan Stadium to face Winthrop Eagles in a three-game series over the weekend. The Gators are 8-3 all-time versus the Eagles, with the last meeting coming in 2011. The first pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday, 4 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
The games air on SEC Network+ at 8:30 p.m. and is also available on WatchESPN.