Florida Baseball Weekly Report - Week 3

Buddy Reed had a tremendous week for the Gators, highighted by a game-winning homer on Saturday.

Florida Baseball Weekly Report - Week 3

Sunday, March 6, 2016 | Baseball

The Gators captured all five games last week to boost their winning streak to six games.

By: John Hines

Florida Baseball Weekly Report – March 6, 2016
(Games from Feb. 29-March 6)

Overall Record: 12-1 (8-0 at home, 3-1 away, 1-0 at neutral site)
SEC Record: N/A
Record Last Week: 5-0 (4-0 at home, 1-0 away)
Streak: Won 6

Last Week's Results (5-0):
Tuesday, March 1 – Won at UCF, 9-5
Wednesday, March 2 – Defeated UCF, 4-0
Friday, March 4 – Defeated Dartmouth, 7-0
Saturday, March 5 – Defeated Dartmouth, 4-3 (12 innings)
Sunday, March 6 – Defeated Dartmouth, 8-6

This Week's Schedule (All Times Eastern)
Tuesday, March 8 – at North Florida (6-6) (Harmon Stadium), 6 p.m.
Wednesday, March 9 – North Florida (6-6) (McKethan Stadium), 7 p.m. (SEC Network+)
Friday, March 11 – Harvard (2-2) (McKethan Stadium), 7 p.m. (SEC Network+)
Saturday, March 12 – Harvard (2-2) (McKethan Stadium), 4 p.m. (SEC Network+)
Sunday, March 13 – Harvard (2-2) (McKethan Stadium), 1 p.m. (SEC Network+)

Team Notes
No. 1 Florida (12-1) boosted its winning streak to six games by going 5-0 last week, taking both meetings in a home-and-home series with UCF (9-5, 4-0) before sweeping Dartmouth at McKethan Stadium (7-0, 4-3 (12), 8-6)…The Gators have six starters hitting above .300 and have a team batting average of .291…UF's pitching staff has compiled an earned run average of 2.50 and is holding foes to a .193 average, while the squad boasts a fielding percentage of .980…Sophomore catcher JJ Schwarz (.325, 16 R, 14 RBI, 13 BB) batted .500 (4-for-8) in the sweep of the Big Green, with five RBI and three walks, while freshman second baseman Deacon Liput (.419, 12 RBI, 6 2B) had a .417 (5-for-12) clip on the weekend and has reached base in all 13 games this season…Freshman third baseman Jonathan India (.297) went 3-for-8 (.375) and notched team highs in runs (5) and stolen bases (2) against Dartmouth, while junior first baseman Peter Alonso (.357, 16 RBI) and sophomore second baseman Dalton Guthrie (.358, 12 RBI) drove in four runs apiece…On the mound, junjor RHP Logan Shore (3-0, 0.43) and sophomore RHP Alex Faedo (3-0, 2.12) claimed their third straight starts this season…Florida's starters are 8-1 with a 2.09 earned run average, with 84 strikeouts in 64.2 innings and a .186 average against…The Gators finished the sweep of the Big Green with an 8-6 victory on Sunday by overcoming a 3-0 deficit and used a three-run fifth inning to move in front…Faedo (3-0) picked up the decision with a five-inning stint, sophomore Nick Horvath (1-0, 3.38) collected his first save and the Gator offense was powered by two RBI apiece from Guthrie (2-for-4, one run), junior Buddy Reed (1-for-5, one run) and Schwarz (1-for-3, two runs)…The Gators tallied three runs on two hits and an error to seize a 4-3 lead in the fifth inning…India (2-for-3, two runs) was hit by a pitch with one down and Guthrie laced a single into left field before Reed smashed a game-tying, two-run triple into the right-field corner…Schwarz put the Orange and Blue ahead with an RBI grounder…Reed sent the first pitch of the bottom of the 12th inning over the scoreboard in right field as UF edged Dartmouth, 4-3, on Saturday...It was Reed's first homer of the season and helped the Gators clinch the weekend series after the Big Green tied the contest with two down in the ninth...Horvath gunned down the potential go-ahead run at the plate with a perfect strike to Schwarz to keep the contest tied in the ninth inning….Sophomore RHP Shaun Anderson (2-0, 1.86) retired Dartmouth in order for three straight innings to set the stage for Reed's heroics…The right-hander worked a career-high 3.1 innings, allowing one hit, and matched his career best of four strikeouts…Reed, who had drawn three walks, connected on his first homer since June 17, 2015, against Miami at the NCAA College World Series…Shore, junior Frank Rubio and freshman Eddy Demurias combined on a two-hit shutout as Florida handled Dartmouth, 7-0, in the series opener on Friday night...Shore (3-0) tied his career high with eight strikeouts and allowed one single over seven innings before Rubio and Demurias each threw a scoreless frame…Shore has claimed his last eight starts dating back to last season, increased his scoreless streak to 17.1 innings and lowered his earned run average to 0.43… On the year, Shore has 22 strikeouts and permitted two walks in 21 innings, while holding foes to a .121 batting average…After blanking UCF on Wednesday, 4-0, the Gators posted back-to-back shutouts for the first time since March 29-30, 2013 against Ole Miss (7-0, 4-0)….Alonso was 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Guthrie (2-for-4, two RBI, two runs), Liput (2-for-4) and Schwarz (2-for-3) had multiple-hit efforts as part of Florida's 12-hit total…The Gators will next face North Florida (6-6) in a home-and-home series, taking on the Ospreys on Tuesday in Jacksonville before the clubs meet at McKethan Stadium on Wednesday night…Florida will host Harvard (2-2) of the Ivy League in a three-game series starting Friday in its final non-conference weekend set before SEC play starts.

Top Performers Last Week
Shaun Anderson, Junior, Right-Hander, Coral Springs, FL
*Retired Dartmouth in order for three straight innings on Saturday night and earned the win after Buddy Reed's walk-off homer
*Hurled a career-high 3.1 innings, allowing one hit, and matched his career best of four strikeouts
*Struck out six batters in two scoreless appearances last week, spanning 5.1 innings

Dalton Guthrie, Sophomore, Second Baseman, Sarasota, FL
*Had a .348 (8-for-23) average in Florida's 5-0 week, with six runs and five RBI
*Tied for the second in the sweep of Dartmouth by driving in four runs and was 4-for-14 (.286) with three runs
*Was 2-for-4 with an RBI double on Sunday after going 2-for-4 with two runs and a couple of RBI in the series opener with the Big Green
*Ranks second on the club with a .358 showing at the plate, has scored 12 runs, eight RBI and four doubles

Nick Horvath, Sophomore, Outfielder/Left-Hander, Jupiter, FL
*Earned first career win at Florida with 2.2 innings of one-run ball at UCF, with two strikeouts
*Kept the second meeting with Dartmouth tied by throwing out the potential go-ahead run to end the ninth inning on a strike to JJ Schwarz from right field
*Recorded the final out of the finale against the Big Green to collect his first save as a Gator

Jonathan India, Freshman, Third Baseman, Coral Springs, FL
*Led the Gators to a 5-0 week by hitting .375 (6-for-16) and scored a team-high seven runs
*Was 3-for-8 (.375) and had team highs in runs (5) and stolen bases (2) in the sweep of Dartmouth
*Went 2-for-3, doubled and scored twice in Sunday's finale
*Turned in a 3-for-5 performance and totaled two runs in the road win at UCF

Jackson Kowar, Freshman, Right-Hander, Charlotte, NC
*Making his collegiate starting debut against UCF on Wednesday night, the righty notched eight strikeouts and yielded three singles over five innings to earn the decision
*Faced two batters above the minimum and struck out the side in the fourth inning
*Has totaled 13 strikeouts and permitted one walk in eight innings of work this year

Deacon Liput, Freshman, Second Baseman, Oviedo, FL
*Had a .417 (5-for-12) clip on the weekend and has reached base in all 13 games this season
*Continues to lead the Gators' offense in batting average (.419) and on-base percentage (.519) and has played flawless defense
*Went 6-for-19 (.316) in Florida's five victories last week

Buddy Reed, Junior, Outfielder, Finksburg, MD
*Batted .350 (7-for-20) over UF's five victories last week, with six runs, five RBI, four walks and four extra-base hits (two doubles, one triple, one homer)
*Tied Sunday's finale with Dartmouth by roping a two-run triple in the fifth inning
*Belted a walk-off homer to open the Gators' 12th inning on Saturday to clinch the series
*Reed's first round-tripper of the campaign sailed over the scoreboard overlooking right field
*Had a season-high three hits, two doubles and a pair of RBI as the Gators won at UCF, 9-5
*Is currently on an eight-game hitting streak in which he is 11-for-32 (.344), with nine runs and six walks
*Has a .314 average this year, 14 runs, nine walks and is 6-for-6 on the basepaths

JJ Schwarz, Sophomore, Catcher, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
*Hit .333 (5-for-15) last week and was a team-best .500 (4-for-8) in the sweep of Dartmouth
*Paced the Gators with five RBI against the Big Green, including a solo homer and the go-ahead RBI grounder in the fifth during the finale
*Drew a pair of walks and tallied two RBI in Saturday's 12-inning victory
*Was 2-for-3 to begin the series with Dartmouth and chipped in with an RBI single

Logan Shore, Junior, Right-Hander, Coon Rapids, MN
*Fired seven shutout innings and permitted one hit as Florida defeated Dartmouth in Friday's series opener, 7-0
*Yielded his only hit with two down in the fifth inning, a single into right center field, to improve to 3-0 this year
*Matched career high with eight strikeouts for the second straight Friday night
*Shore has claimed his last eight starts dating back to last season, increased his scoreless streak to 17.1 innings and lowered his earned run average to 0.43
*The right-hander has registered 22 strikeouts and issued two walks in 21 innings, while holding foes to a .121 batting average

Brady Singer, Freshman, Right-Hander, Eustis, FL
*Tossed two scoreless frames with three strikeouts in the Gators' 4-0 blanking of UCF
*Delivered three scoreless and hitless innings out of the bullpen in game two against Dartmouth
*Had entered the ballgame with a pair of runners aboard and none out and escaped the jam
*Is 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA in five appearances, with 12 strikeouts in 12.2 innings and a .103 average against