2003 Baseball Season In Review
Wednesday, June 11, 2003 | Baseball
2003 FLORIDA BASEBALL SEASON IN REVIEW
TEAM NOTES
• Concluded the season with a 37-21-1 record winning 30 or more games for the 13th consecutive year.
• The 30 victory season was also the 25th in school history.
• Finished third in the SEC East trailing second place Vanderbilt by just a half a game.
• Advanced to NCAA Regional play for the 21st time in school history and seventh time in the last eight years.
• Played in a regional in Coral Gables, Fla. for the seventh time in the program's history (1981, 1982, 1985, 1994, 1997, 2001, 2003).
• Had nine total wins against ranked opponents and went 6-3 against ranked foes at home.
• The Gators went 12-0 in mid-week games becoming the first team to go undefeated at home in mid-week affairs.
• Went 31-6 at home in McKethan Stadium becoming just the seventh team in school history to win 30 games at home.
• The .838 home winning percentage at home was also the eighth best ever in Florida school history.
• Helped produce 30 win seasons at home in back-to-back seasons for just the second time in school history.
• Started the season 12-1 to become just the fourth team to win at least 12 of their first 13 games.
• Won series against five SEC teams and swept Tennessee.
• Played 15 SEC games that were decided by two runs or less.
• Produced a school record 17 players who were named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
• For the first time in school history had two players, C.J. Smith and Ben Harrison, named to the Verizon Academic All-District first-team. Florida was the only school with two members on the first team.
SEC TEAM RECORDS
(records are either set or tied)
• Doubles in a game (10 vs. Hofstra, 2/23/03)
SCHOOL RECORDS
(records are either set or tied)
• Brian Rose, hit by pitches - career (48, 2000-03)
• Justin Tordi, hits - game (5 vs. South Florida, 2/25/05)
• Mario Garza, hits - game (5 vs. Florida Atlantic, 5/31/03)
• Florida, season - least walks per game (2.34)
• Florida, season - hit by pitches (84)
SEASON HONORS
• NCAA Regional All Tournament Team
Brian Rose, Stephen Barton Mario Garza
• All-SEC (coaches)
Second Team: Brian Rose, Ben Harrison
• Rotary Smith Player of the Year "Watch List"
C.J. Smith, Brett Dowdy, Brian Rose, Ben Harrison
• C.J. Smith, Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week (week of Feb. 25, 2003)
• Stephen Barton, SEC Player of the Week (week of Feb. 10)
• C.J. Smith, SEC Player of the Week (for week of Feb. 24)
• Adam Sanabria, SEC Pitcher of the Week (week of March 10)
• Justin Hoyman, SEC Pitcher of the Week (week of March 24)
• Brian Rose, Johnny Bench Award semifinalist (nation's top catcher, one of top-10)
• Ben Harrison and C.J. Smith, Verizon Academic All America nominees
• Marcio Garza, UF's nominee for SEC Good Works Team
• All-SEC Academic
David Bartelt, Stephen Barton, Tommy Boss, Daniel Brooks, Kevin Coleman, Mario Garza, Ben Harrison, Alex Hart, Ryan Kennedy, David Klebonis, Joe Mercadante, Mike Pete, Tom Potter, Ryan Sadowski, C.J. Smith, Wes Swackhamer, Ben Zeskind
GATORS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Individual Rankings
Home Runs Per Game: 28. Brian Rose, 0.31 (16 HR in 52 games)
RBI Per Game: T25. Mario Garza, 1.22 (66RBI in 54 games)
Team Rankings
Batting Average: 30. Florida, .320
Scoring: 7. Florida, 8.8 runs/game
GATORS IN THE SEC RANKINGS
Offensive Rankings
Batting Average: 5. Ben Harrison, .362; 7. Brett Dowdy, .361; 8. Brian Rose, .357; 11. Mario Garza .349
On-base Percentage: 2. Brian Rose, .460; 3. C.J. Smith, .452; 5. Brett Dowdy, .447; 7. Ben Harrison, .437
Runs Scored: 1. Brett Dowdy, 67; 6. Jonathan Tucker, 63; 7. Ben Harrison, 59;
Hits: 8. Brett Dowdy, 88; 12. Ben Harrison, 81
Runs Batted In: 2. Mario Garza, 66; 4. C.J. Smith, 62; 6. Ben Harrison, 61; 7. Brian Rose, 59
Slugging Percentage: 2. Brian Rose, .681; 4. C.J. Smith, .653; 5. Mario Garza, .651; 10. Ben Harrison .598
Doubles: 6. Jeff Corsaletti, 20
Home Runs: 3. C.J. Smith, 17; 4. Brian Rose, 16; 9. Mario Garza, 13
Total Bases: 8. Ben Harrison, 134; 9. C.J. Smith, 132
Bases on Balls: 6. C.J. Smith, 36; 8. Brett Dowdy, 34
Hit by Pitch: 2. Brian Rose, 18
Sacrifice Bunts: 2. Jonathan Tucker, 9
Stolen Bases: 7. Brett Dowdy and Ben Harrison, 14
Total Plate Appearances: 8. Brett Dowdy, 285
At Bats: 10. Brett Dowdy, 244
Pitching Rankings
Wins: T7. Justin Hoyman, 8
Innings Pitched: 4. Justin Hoyman, 111.1
Batters Struck Out Looking: T8. Justin Hoyman, 28
Opponent Batting Average: 9. Justin Hoyman, .239
Games Finished: 8. Connor Falkenbach, 15
Appearances: T5. Connor Falkenbach, 26
Games Started: T3. Justin Hoyman, 16
Games in Relief: T7. Darren O'Day, 24
Runners Picked Off: T7. Adam Sanabria, 3
Fielding Rankings
Fielding Percentage: 12. Brian Rose, .989
Chances: 3. C.J. Smith, 536
Putouts: 2. C.J. Smith, 502
Assists: 4. Jonathan Tucker, 191
Fielding Double Plays: 5. C.J. Smith, 43; 8. Jonathan Tucker, 41
Team Rankings
1st in batting average (.320)
1st in on-base percentage (.410)
1st in runs scored (518)
1st in runs batted in (472)
1st in slugging percentage (.512)
1st in home runs (79)
2nd in total bases (1061)
2nd in bases on balls (249)
2nd in hit by pitches (84)
MILESTONES
• Head coach Pat McMahon recorded his 400th career collegiate head coaching win in the 15-5 victory over Mercer Feb. 7.
• Florida won 30 or more games for the 13th consecutive season.
• The Florida baseball program won their 1,900th game as they improved their all-time record to 1906-1244-24 (.604).
• Florida won 30 or more home games for just the sixth time in McKethan Stadium history and seventh time in school history.
• Florida won 20 or more home games for the 16th straight season.
• The Gators advanced to their 21st ever NCAA Regional.
• Ben Harrison became just the eighth player to reach the 20+ HR, 100+ RBI, 30+ SB plateau in Gator baseball history.
PRESEASON HONORS
• Baseball America All SEC
Ben Harrison, OF
