The Gators turn to ace Logan Shore, left, on Sunday in Game 2 of the Gainesville Super Regional against Florida State. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA)
Gators Drop Game 1 to Seminoles, Turn to Shore on Sunday
Saturday, June 11, 2016 | Baseball, Scott Carter
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FSU pitcher Drew Carlton was dominant in FSU's 3-0 victory
By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The buzz entering the Gainesville Super Regional focused on Florida's deep and talented pitching staff.
Florida State starter Drew Carlton must not have heard. Carlton pitched a two-hit shutout in Game 1 on Saturday night at McKethan Stadium to beat the Gators 3-0.
Florida must now defeat FSU on back-to-back days for a return trip to the College World Series.
"He pitched a great game,'' Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "We just couldn't hit. We weren't sharp as we have been. But once again, the story of the game is Drew Carlton, he threw great."
A sophomore right-hander from Lakeland, Carlton retired the final 19 batters he faced and allowed only two Gators to reach base all night -- Buddy Reed's single in the second inning and a Danny Reyes single in the third. Carlton struck out five and never faced a serious threat, throwing 84 of his 115 pitches for strikes.
The loss snapped Florida's five-game win streak over the Seminoles and marked the first time in school history the Gators (50-14) have been shut out at home in the NCAA Tournament. Carlton had allowed 91 hits in 84 2/3 innings prior to Saturday's outing. "The story of the game is Drew Carlton, he threw great." -- Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA)
"Don't know when I've seen him pitch better, and he's been with us two years,'' FSU coach Mike Martin said. "It was a game that seemed that everything went our way. Our guys took advantage of opportunities."
Gators starter Alex Faedo was not as sharp as on Sunday when he clinched the Gainesville Regional for the Gators with eight shutout innings against Georgia Tech. Faedo walked home FSU's first run with the bases loaded in the fourth and threw 82 pitches in his shortest outing of the season.
"Just too many pitches,'' he said.
Faedo was replaced by first-round pick Dane Dunning when he gave up a single to Matt Henderson to leadoff the fifth. FSU shortstop Taylor Walls hit Dunning's first pitch for an RBI double and FSU added another run in the inning on UF second baseman Deacon Liput's error covering first on a sacrifice bunt.
Carlton did the rest.
"They are definitely a team that feeds off stuff up in the zone, and staying down and having them roll balls for my defense was a key to my success,'' Carlton said. "It was definitely one of the most fun games I've ever pitched in."
The Seminoles (41-20) lead the best-of-three series 1-0 and can advance to Omaha with a victory on Sunday night. Meanwhile, the Gators will turn to starter Logan Shore to keep their season alive. Shore is 11-0 with a 2.44 ERA and has won 16 consecutive decisions dating to last season.
If the Gators can win Sunday, the deciding Game 3 is scheduled for Monday.
The Gators are down but not out. They have Shore, Oakland's second-round pick in Thursday's MLB amateur draft, and Puk, Oakland's first-round pick and the No. 6 overall selection, armed and ready.
Still, the Gators will need more than two hits and no runs.
"However you shake it, if Logan pitched tonight, we didn't score,'' O'Sullivan said. "It doesn't matter. You've got to score to have a chance. The series isn't over. No one is going to Omaha tonight."
