Gators freshman Faedo delivers in first career SEC start
Sunday, April 12, 2015 | Baseball, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- He won a state championship as a freshman at Tampa's Alonso High School. He threw a no-hitter as a junior. He struck out 17 Plant City batters once in the prestigious Saladino Tournament, a top showcase of talent for players in the Tampa area
As you can tell, Florida right-hander Alex Faedo arrived at UF already armed with an impressive list of accomplishments.
In his brief time with the Gators, Faedo has shown why scouts and college recruiters saw so much potential in the 6-foot-4, 220-pound power pitcher.
He did it again Sunday in Florida's 12-2 win against South Carolina to sweep a three-game weekend series.
Making his first career Southeastern Conference start, Faedo retired the first 14 batters he faced.
“Right when I woke up I just knew it was going to be a good day,” Faedo said. “I was really pumped to get the opportunity.”
The start was the fourth of his young career, but this one carried added significance as the Gators tried to close out the Gamecocks and make up ground on defending national champion and SEC East leader Vanderbilt.
Gators head coach Kevin O'Sullivan had nothing to worry about with Faedo on the mound and Florida's torrid lineup keeping its hot streak intact.
In his ongoing search to stabilize Florida's rotation after Friday night starter Logan Shore, O'Sullivan moved Dane Dunning up to Saturday and handed the ball Sunday to Faedo.
The Gamecocks didn't get their first hit until the fifth when Madison Stokes doubled down the left-field line. In the sixth, after O'Sullivan noticed Faedo had started to drop his release point, he pulled him after 75 pitches.
Faedo's job was done with Florida holding a 7-1 lead.
“I've got a lot of confidence in Alex. He's going to be a really good pitcher,'' O'Sullivan said after the Gators' fourth consecutive win. “Today I think he showed it. He threw a lot of strikes, he commanded both sides of the plate, and made big pitches when he needed to.
“That just gives us another option on the weekend. I'm really pleased with his effort.”
Faedo said he shook any nerves away prior to the game by talking with his veteran teammates. From there he went out and threw his game, relying heavily on his slider to keep the Gamecocks quiet. Faedo allowed two hits, one run, struck out six and walked one to improve to 3-1 with a team-leading 2.12 ERA.
“Whatever Sully wanted I was feeling good about,'' Faedo said of his pitch selections. “I just like winning, sweeping people. It was huge. We really needed this one just to move back up in the standings. We're trying to win the SEC.”
The Gators travel to Florida State on Tuesday and then face another big SEC test on the road next weekend at Mississippi State, where large crowds at Dudy Noble Field await the Gators.
Faedo hopes he earned another SEC start with Sunday's performance.
He probably shouldn't lose any sleep.
“The strength of our staff is our depth,'' said O'Sullivan, who will continue to evaluate the starting rotation heading into each game. “Has Alex earned the opportunity to start another weekend game? Yes.”
