Florida Gators
Alabama
Alabama Claims Opener Over No. 5 Florida, 12-9, in 10 Innings
Saturday, March 28, 2015 | Baseball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Alabama scored three times in the 10th inning to post a 12-9 victory over No. 5 Florida on Friday afternoon at McKethan Stadium in the opener of a day/night doubleheader. The Crimson Tide (14-10/4-3 SEC) overcame a 4-1 deficit to take a 9-4 lead and withstood three runs in the seventh and two in eighth by the hosts to end a seven-game losing streak to the Gators (21-6/3-4 SEC).
Junior Kyle Overstreet (3-for-5, two RBI, two runs) started the 10th with a single up the middle, junior Chance Vincent (2-for-5, two runs) ripped a double down the left-field line and sophomore Will Haynie (2-for-4, two RBI, two runs) was walked intentionally by Gator junior Taylor Lewis (1-1). Senior J.C. Wilhite (2-for-2, two runs) delivered a go-ahead single into center field, freshman Chander Avant (2-for-7, two RBI) added a fielder's choice RBI and junior Georgie Salem came through with a run-scoring single to provide the Crimson Tide with the three-run margin. Junior Ray Castillo earned the win to improve to 3-0.
Junior Richie Martin (2-for-4, two RBI) gave the Gators a 1-0 lead in the first inning with an RBI single up the middle off of Tide senior left-hander Taylor Guilbeau. Freshman Dalton Guthrie (4-for-5, two RBI, two runs) had led off with a base-hit into left field and had advanced to third base on an errant pickoff throw by Guilbeau. After Martin's single, junior Harrison Bader (3-for-5, two RBI) legged out an infield hit for a pair of runners aboard but Guilbeau escaped the jam unscathed.
In the second inning, Guthrie delivered a bases-loaded RBI single to put Florida ahead, 2-0. Freshman JJ Schwarz (1-for-4, two runs) opened the frame with a single into right field, freshman Jeremy Vasquez drew a one-out walk and sophomore Ryan Larson (3-for-5, two runs, two doubles) singled to fill the bags. After Guthrie poked a single through the right side to score Schwarz, Guilbeau had Martin hit into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.
Although Alabama threatened with a pair of runners in the scoring position with one down in the third and loaded the bases with two out, junior Aaron Rhodes kept the visitors scoreless on the strength of two strikeouts and a groundout.
A leadoff double in the fourth by Vincent brought sophomore Shaun Anderson in for Rhodes (3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 4 K, 2 BB). Junior Daniel Cucjen cut the Gators' lead in half with a one-out RBI single into left field. Freshman Mike Rivera (2-for-5) extended UF's lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the stanza with a two-run homer to left field after Schwarz had earned a free pass. It was Rivera's second big fly of the campaign and raised his hitting streak to six games. A walk to Rivera ended the afternoon for Guilbeau (3.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R).
The Crimson Tide pulled to within 4-2 in the fifth on an RBI fielder's choice by Vincent that plated junior Mikey White (2-for-6, two runs), who had a leadoff double. Alabama had the bases full with one down but junior Eric Hanhold replaced Anderson (1.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R) and ended the frame with back-to-back strikeouts to preserve the lead.
In the seventh, Alabama sent 12 batters to the plate and tallied seven runs on six hits to build a 9-4 advantage. Overstreet had a one-out single and Vincent walked before a wild pitch advanced both runners into scoring position. Haynie brought home his teammates with a game-tying double down the left-field line. After a pinch-hit single by Wilhite gave the Tide runners on the corners, sophomore Kirby Snead came in for Hanhold (2.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R). Freshman Cody Henry put the Tide on top with a pinch-hit infield single that brought in Haynie and Avant followed with a single into center field for a 6-4 lead. Sophomore Mike Vinson took over for Snead (0.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R) and plunked White to load the bases with two down. Freshman Logan Browning entered the game and walked sophomore Casey Hughston to bring Henry in and Overstreet connected on a two-run single to give the visitors a five-run lead.
The Gators answered in the home part of the inning with three runs on a sacrifice fly by Martin that scored Larson and a two-run homer by Bader for a 9-7 deficit. The blast to left field was Bader's team-leading eighth of the campaign and boosted his RBI total to 33. Florida pulled even in the eighth inning against Castillo on a two-out RBI double by Larson that scored Rivera all the way from first base and a run-scoring single by Guthrie. An infield hit by Martin pushed Guthrie to third base and Castillo had Bader ground out to keep the contest knotted at nine runs apiece.
Postgame Notes
- Today was the first extra-inning game for both Alabama and Florida.
- Dalton Guthrie had his team-leading 13th multiple-hit game for the Gators and was 4-for-5 with two runs.
- Aaron Rhodes made his first start of the season and drew his first starting assignment since May 3, 2014, at Alabama.
- Mike Rivera belted his second round-tripper of the year in the fourth inning.
- Harrison Bader connected on his eighth homer of the year with Guthrie aboard in the seventh inning.
- Buddy Reed's career-best 13-game hitting streak ended with an 0-for-5 performance.
- UF suffered its first defeat to Alabama since May 29, 2010, at the SEC Tournament.
- The Crimson Tide turned double plays to end the first and second innings.
Up Next
The Gators and Crimson Tide will meet again at 8:25 p.m., with sophomore right-hander Logan Shore (3-2, 2.17) facing junior left-hander Will Carter (1-2, 4.55). The game can be heard on the Gator IMG Sports Network with Jeff Cardozo and Steve Russell and will be carried on SEC Network+ with Nick Belmonte and Mick Hubert through participating TV providers only through WatchESPN.
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