No. 1 Florida Baseball Begins SEC Play By Hosting Vanderbilt
Friday, March 16, 2012 | Baseball
Riding the crest of a 14-game winning streak, No. 1 Florida (16-1) begins the 30-game SEC schedule this weekend by welcoming Eastern Division rival Vanderbilt (7-10) to McKethan Stadium for three games. The Gators and Commodores shared the league title with South Carolina last season, as all three clubs finished 22-8 in SEC action. Game times this weekend are at 7 p.m. (live on GatorVision Online), 1 p.m. on Saturday (live on CSS, Cox Communications Channel 259 in Gainesville) and 1 p.m. on Sunday (live on Fox Sports Florida).
Junior right-hander Hudson Randall (Atlanta, Ga.) (2-0, 3.65) will draw the start against Vanderbilt sophomore left-hander Kevin Ziomek (2-1, 2.09) to kick off the weekend set. In his most recent outing, Randall worked a season-high 7.1 innings last Friday night against FGCU but was not involved in the decision after allowing six hits and two runs, with a season-high six strikeouts, in UF's 4-2 triumph. On the season, Randall has 17 K and permitted one walk in 24.2 innings.
Saturday's matinee will pit UF junior left-hander Brian Johnson (Cocoa Beach, Fla.) (2-0, 4.12) versus Commodore junior Drew VerHagen (2-1, 3.93). Johnson picked up the series-clinching win over the Eagles last Saturday with a season-best six strikeouts over six innings and has 15 K over 19.2 innings this year.
Sophomore Jonathon Crawford (1-1, 5.71) (Okeechobee, Fla.) will be making his SEC debut in Sunday's finale against VU freshman righty Tyler Beede (0-2, 7.24). Crawford worked a career-high 5.2 innings in the final meeting with FGCU and allowed five hits and a couple of runs but did not factor in the decision. He has registered 19 strikeouts in 17.1 innings in '12.
Florida and Vanderbilt tangled six times last season, with the Gators emerging victorious five times. The Gators claimed two of the three regular-season encounters in Nashville, blanked the Commodores in the SEC Tournament final and then notched a pair of victories at the NCAA College World Series.
Having claimed 16 of their first 17 games, the Gators are off to the best start in school history. Florida is also an impressive 7-1 (.875) against top-25 opponents and sports a 13-1 (.929) home record.
In the teams' last meeting, Florida snapped a 4-4 tie with two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat Vanderbilt, 6-4, on June 24, 2011, in front of 20,087 fans at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. With the victory, the Gators advanced to the best-of-three CWS Championship Series for the second time. After the Commodores had tied the game, 4-4, in the top of the eighth, Daniel Pigott (Ormond Beach, Fla.) (2-for-4, two runs) led off with a single into right center and Cody Dent (Boynton Beach, Fla.) (2-for-2, two runs, two walks) beat out a bunt single for a pair of Gators aboard. Nolan Fontana (Winter Garden, Fla.) (2-for-3) laid down a bunt that Sonny Gray (12-4) tried to bare-hand, instead resulting in a hit that loaded the bases with none out and caused a pitching change. Will Clinard came in for Gray (7.0 IP, 12 H, 6 R, 8 K, 5 BB) and had Bryson Smith pop up on the infield for the first out. Preston Tucker (Tampa, Fla.) 1-for-5, two RBI) greeted reliever Corey Williams with a go-ahead RBI single to left field that brought home Pigott for a 5-4 advantage. Mark Lamm replaced Williams and struck out Mike Zunino (Cape Coral, Fla.) but a wild pitch on the play enabled Dent to score for a two-run lead. Austin Maddox (Jacksonville, Fla.), who had entered the game in the eighth, retired Tony Kemp on a foul pop-up to left field in the ninth and had Anthony Gomez ground out before Aaron Westlake (2-for-5) doubled to right center to keep Vanderbilt's hopes alive. However, Maddox (3-0) induced a game-ending fly ball to left field by Curt Casali to secure the victory.
Ten of the last 15 series between Florida and Vanderbilt have resulted in sweeps. The Gators have collected seven wins and the Commodores have three during that span. UF swept in 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2008 and VU claimed all three games in 1997, 2003 and 2007. Over the last 15 encounters, Vandy has posted a 2-1 margin in 2006 and 2009 and Florida won by a similar count in 2000, 2010 and 2011.
Tuesday's victory over No. 6 Florida State enabled the Gators to match the school-record winning streak of 14 games, done twice (March 20-April 11, 2001 and Feb. 21-March 17, 2004). Florida's skeins were stopped by Stetson in 2001 (21-17) and Army in 2004 (9-5).
In front of a record crowd of 6,005 fans at McKethan Stadium on Tuesday night, Florida used a 9-2 victory over No. 6 Florida State (14-2). The Gators' triumph in the first of the three regular-season meetings between the rivals snapped the Seminoles' streak of 10-straight victories and improved head coach Kevin O'Sullivan to 5-0 at home in his tenure versus FSU. After Florida State plated a pair of runs in the third, Tucker (2-for-4) clubbed a three-run bomb in the bottom of the inning to move the hosts in front and the Gators would score six additional unanswered runs to secure the win. Greg Larson (Longwood, Fla.) (3-0) picked up the decision as the Gator bullpen, led by a perfect three-inning stint by junior Steven Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.), tossed 6.1 scoreless innings and surrendered just two hits. Maddox entered the contest with two Seminoles aboard in the eighth and retired all four batters he faced over 1.1 innings to record his sixth save. Florida also put its leadoff runner on base in seven of its eight at bats, tallied single runs in the fourth, sixth and seventh and finished the scoring with three runs in the eighth. Fontana (2-for-3, three runs, two RBI) belted his fourth homer of the season in the sixth, Zunino and Pigott drove in two runs apiece and freshman Josh Tobias (Greensboro, N.C.) was 2-for-3.
Gator Bytes
*Head coach Kevin O'Sullivan is 12-5 (.706) against Vanderbilt, 5-1 (.833) in Gainesville, 3-3 (.500) in Nashville, 2-1 (.667) at the SEC Tourney and 2-0 at the NCAA Tourney (both at the CWS).
*O'Sullivan and Vandy skipper Tim Corbin served together on Jack Leggett's staff at Clemson. Corbin was with the Tigers between 1994-2002, while O'Sullivan was at the ACC school from 1999-2007 before coming to Gainesville.
*Over the last four seasons, the Gators have taken the opener of the series with the Commodores (8-6 on May 15, 2008; 8-4 on April 3, 2009; 3-2 on April 2, 2010; 6-5 on May 13, 2011).
*In his five years at Florida, O'Sullivan is 137-27 (.835) at McKethan Stadium, 43-38 (.531) at opponents' stadiums and 12-18 (.400) at neutral sites.
*During O'Sullivan's tenure, Florida is 3-1 (.750) in SEC-opening series, sweeping Auburn (2008), Mississippi State (2010) and LSU (2011) and being swept by Arkansas (2009).
*The Gator bullpen is 9-1 with seven saves and a 1.77 ERA this season, with 76 strikeouts and 12 walks in 71 innings. UF's relief corps has not permitted a run in its last 27.2 innings dating back to the seventh inning at Miami (Fla.) on March 4. The crew has not allowed an earned run since the sixth inning against the Hurricanes on March 2, a span of 38.2 innings.
*Junior Austin Maddox (1-0, 0.00) is 6-for-6 in save opportunities and has 22 strikeouts and zero walks in 15.2 innings. He had five saves last season and UF's mark for saves in a campaign is 13 by Danny Wheeler in 1994 and Josh Fogg in 1998. Leadoff hitters are 1-for-13 (.077) against Maddox, who is already tied for seventh on the school's career list with 11 saves with former teammates Billy Bullock (2007-09) and Kevin Chapman (2007-10).
*UF's starting pitchers are 7-0 with a 3.89 ERA, with 60 K and 15 BB in 78.2 innings.
*Florida holds a 130-51 scoring advantage and has out-scored foes, 21-0, over the final two innings.
*Friday's starter, junior Hudson Randall, is 1-1 with a 2.81 ERA in three career starts against Vanderbilt. He took a no-decision in the series opener last May in Nashville after going five innings, with eight hits, four runs (two earned), two walks and zero strikeouts.
*Junior Brian Johnson (2-0, 4.12) started all 10 league series last season and was 4-3 with a 4.67 ERA.
*Sophomore Jonathon Crawford (1-1, 5.71) will not only be making his fourth start of the season but will be facing SEC competition for the first time.
*The Orange and Blue is 7-1 (.875) against ranked foes this season, the other 11 SEC schools have combined for eight wins over top-25 squads.
*Ten of UF's 16 victories have been come-from-behind.
*Junior Mike Zunino's next homer will tie him with Mark Ellis (1996-99) and Mario Linares (1988-91) for sixth on the school's career list with 36 bombs.
*The Gators have clubbed 27 homers in 17 games after totaling 69 HR in 72 games last season. Eight different players have left the yard, led by Zunino (7), senior Preston Tucker (6), junior Nolan Fontana (4) and freshman Taylor Gushue (4). The Orange and Blue has multiple homers in 10 games and has at least one jack in 15 of 17 contests this season.
*Tucker's next double will move him past Jeff Corsaletti (2002-05, 56) for third on the Gator chart. Ellis holds the top spot with 61 two-baggers.
*The Gators are 9-0 this year when opponents score first and are 13-0 when out-hitting their foe.
*Senior Greg Larson's eight appearances has increased his career to 95, one shy of matching Josh Edmondson (2005-08) for fifth on the school's all-time list. Larson (3-0, 1.12) has notched wins over No. 8 Miami (Fla.), Florida A&M and Florida State and has 15 strikeouts in 16 innings this year. He has matched his single-season best for victories set in 2009 and 2010.
*Gushue has started 16 games at three different positions - eight at first base, five at designated hitter and three at catcher.
*UF has 11 errors through 17 games for an SEC-leading .983 fielding percentage and has played error-free in eight contests (7-1).
*Junior Nolan Fontana has reached base in his last 12 games, a stretch is which he is batting .452 (19-for-42) with 17 runs, 11 walks, nine RBI, five stolen bases, four homers and three doubles.
*The Gators are 4-for-12 (.333) pinch-hitting, while opponents are 2-for-15 (.133).
*Junior Steven Rodriguez (3-0, 3.09) appeared in four of the six meetings against Vanderbilt last season and is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA in five career outings versus the Commodores, while limiting VU to a .161 batting average.
*Florida is 7-for-24 (.292) with the bases loaded and has 21 RBI and foes are 1-for-10 (.100).
*Twenty-five of the squad's 120 RBI have come with two out, led by five from Zunino.
*Sophomore Daniel Gibson (1-0, 0.00, one save) is unscored upon in eight appearances spanning 8.2 innings and right-handed batters are 0-for-17 against him.
