Baseball Opens Orange & Blue World Series
Sunday, November 1, 2009 | Baseball
The Gator baseball team kicked off its Orange and Blue World Series on Saturday afternoon with a six-inning scrimmage at McKethan Stadium. Due to roster restrictions, the coaches utilized a non-traditional game format to give certain players more at-bats and allow the coaches to evaluate players in several different positions and scenarios.
The game started off in the top of the third inning with freshman Steven Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.) on the mound. The left-hander hurled a scoreless and hitless inning, while striking out two batters, in his first appearance for the Gators.
The Gator offense got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Senior Matt Den Dekker (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) (2-for-3, one run, one walk) led off the inning with a single up the middle. den Dekker then advanced to second, as freshman Kamm Washington ( Boynton Beach, Fla.) (1-for-4) reached on an infield hit. Following a strikeout, freshman Austin Maddox (Jacksonville, Fla.) (2-for-4, RBI) delivered a single to left field to drive in den Dekker.
The Gator offense continued its momentum into the top of the sixth, as freshman Michael Zunino (Cape Coral, Fla.) (2-for-4, run) tripled to deep left center field. Senior Jonathan Pigott (Ormond Beach, Fla.) (1-for-6, RBI) then drove in Zunino with a base-knock up the middle.
Despite each giving up a run in back-to-back half innings, sophomores Anthony Desclafani (Freehold, N.J.) and Nick Maronde (Lexington, Ky.) both had solid days on the mound, as they both threw two innings, giving up three hits, one run, and totaled a pair of strikeouts.
The Gator offense scored its final run of the day during the top of the eighth. After an infield single by junior Josh Adams (Jacksonville, Fla.) (2-for-4, run), and a ground ball single throw the six-hole by Maddox, freshman Nolan Fontana (Winter Garden, Fla.) flared a single into shallow right center field to bring home Adams from second base. Despite a few scratch hits, sophomore Greg Larson (Longwood, Fla.) registered two strikeouts over two inning.
Larson's counterpart, freshman Brian Johnson (Cocoa Beach, Fla.), was one of the top players of the day as he tossed two perfect innings, frustrating hitters en route to four strikeouts. Johnson benefitted from errorless Gator defense, highlighted by a diving catch by Washington in the bottom of the sixth.
Senior Kevin Chapman (Coral Springs, Fla.) and freshman Hudson Randall (Atlanta, Ga.) finished off the scrimmage for the Orange and Blue. A left-hander, Chapman threw one scoreless inning, giving up a hit and walking one batter. A right-hander, Randall threw two scoreless innings, giving up three hits with one strikeout.
Gator baseball wraps up fall practice with the Orange and Blue World Series finale, which is slated to begin at 2 p.m.
-UF-
