Closer Shaun Anderson reacts after Florida sweeps Texas A&M on Sunday. (Photo: Madison Schultz for UAA)
Anatomy of a Sweep: Gators Made Statement vs. Texas A&M
Monday, April 4, 2016 | Baseball, Scott Carter
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Florida reclaimed top spot in polls on Monday
By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – When Texas A&M outfielder Nick Banks stepped into the batter's box in the ninth inning, he represented the tying run against Gators closer Shaun Anderson.
Anderson cruised past the first two batters in the ninth Sunday afternoon before back-to-back singles by Boomer White and Hunter Melton made Banks' at-bat more interesting than expected. As was the case all weekend, there was little to worry about for Florida fans.
Anderson struck out Banks to preserve Florida's 10-7 victory and three-game sweep against the Aggies, who arrived in town with three losses all season and left with twice that many. O'Sullivan Texas A&M dethroned Florida as the nation's No. 1 team in four of the six national polls prior to its visit to McKethan Stadium. The Gators dominated the Aggies over the weekend, leaving no doubt which team is No. 1 past the midway mark of the regular season.
"We just showed a lot of fight,'' Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "It would be very easy to be satisfied with two wins against an outstanding Texas A&M team, and we just continued to fight."
Florida extended its school-record home win streak to 27 games Sunday and improved to 27-3, 7-2 in the Southeastern Conference entering Tuesday night's nonconference home game against Jacksonville. Before sweeping past a series that drew 15,360 fans to McKethan Stadium – the second-highest total for a three-game series in school history – let's take a closer look at a matchup that college baseball observers around the country paid close attention to.
How exactly did the Gators dominate Texas A&M and reclaim the top spot in the polls?
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STARTING PITCHING
The biggest scare all weekend for Florida happened Sunday after starter A.J. Puk threw his first pitch of the second inning. O'Sullivan recognized something didn't look right and bounced from the dugout as soon as catcher JJ Schwarz caught the ball.
"I didn't know he was hurt until Coach came out,'' Schwarz said.
Projected as a high first-round pick in June's MLB amateur draft, Puk was dominant in the first inning, setting down all three Aggies he faced, two via strikeout.
He needed only 10 pitches to get out of the inning.
However, Puk's 11th pitch of the game to Melton was his last due to what O'Sullivan termed "back spasms." He was replaced by Brady Singer, who assumed the 0-1 count on Melton.
"He probably could've kept pitching, maybe,'' O'Sullivan said. "We didn't really give him the option—it's too early in the year. But I'll tell you what—the 10 pitches he did throw were pretty darn good. I'm sitting there going, 'Wow, this is going to be pretty good today.' "
While Puk's day was cut short, Florida's starters (1-0, 1.59 ERA) were sharp compared to Texas A&M's (0-2, 15.64 ERA) in the three games.
The UF rotation of Logan Shore, Alex Faedo and Puk pitched 11 1/3 innings in the series, limiting the Aggies to 10 hits and two runs (one earned) while walking five and striking out 14. Texas A&M starters Tyler Ivey, Kyle Simonds and Jace Vines combined for just 6 1/3 innings. The trio allowed 14 hits and 11 runs (all earned) to go with six walks and five strikeouts.
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TWO-OUTS, NO PROBLEM
The Gators did some of their best work when they had two outs, highlighted by Sunday's four-run seventh inning. Texas A&M overcame a pair of early deficits and led 7-6 when closer Ryan Hendrix, who entered the game in the fifth to try and fend off a potential sweep, set down Jeremy Vasquez and Nelson Maldonado to open the bottom of the seventh.
Jonathan India started the rally by drawing a two-out walk. He stole second to move into scoring position with Dalton Guthrie at the plate. Guthrie drew a walk and then India advanced to third on a wild pitch with Buddy Reed at the plate.
Reed tapped a dribbler in front of the mound that Hendrix fielded and threw to first. However, Reed beat the throw as India scored to tie the game. Before the inning was over, five consecutive Gators reached safely with two outs.
Schwarz's RBI single scored Guthrie with the go-ahead run as Florida chased Hendrix from the game. In Saturday night's 7-2 win, the Gators scored six of their seven runs with two outs.
"We feed off each other,'' Reed said. "I just tried to put a bat on the ball. We found a way to beat him. Sometimes with great pitching, you find ways and sometimes you don't."
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SNEAKY SNEAD
Junior Kirby Snead has developed into an excellent situational lefty out of the bullpen. Snead is 3-0 with a 0.93 ERA (19 1/3 IP, 15 H, 7 BB, 18 SO) in 17 appearances. Snead earned two victories against the Aggies, the first on Friday night and the second on Sunday.
On Friday, the Gators led 4-0 in the fifth when the Aggies strung together three consecutive singles off Shore to load the bases with one out. Snead came in and got Banks to ground to the pitcher for a force out at home. He then induced a grounder to shortstop from Michael Barash to retire Banks at second on a fielder's choice. Threat over.
Snead entered in another hot spot on Sunday as the Aggies threated to add to their 7-6 lead in the top of the sixth. With a runner at second and left-handed hitter Ryne Birk coming up, O'Sullivan summoned Snead from the bullpen to replace right-hander Jackson Kowar.
Snead struck out Birk to end the inning and pitched a scoreless seventh. He then benefited from UF's four-run seventh to earn the win before Anderson came on to earn his sixth save.
"It took every ounce of focus and energy to get through that game," O'Sullivan said of the seesaw series finale.
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BIG BAT ALONSO
The Aggies lead the SEC in hitting (.328 through Sunday), but it was Florida first baseman Peter Alonso who did the most damage of any hitter in the series. Alonso went 8-for-12 with two home runs, five RBIs and four runs in the three games. Peter Alonso went 8-for-12 in Texas A&M series. (Photo: Madison Schultz for UAA)
Alonso had a career-high-tying four hits in Saturday's game, including a towering solo home run in the fourth inning. He also homered Friday and capped his big series with an RBI single on Sunday, driving home Florida's final run in its four-run seventh.
Alonso is tied for eighth in the SEC in hitting with a team-high .375 average and has six home runs and a career-high 33 RBIs. He drove in 32 runs in each of his first two seasons. While Florida's offense doesn't quite have the punch of a year ago – Florida is sixth in the league with a .298 average – Alonso is having a career season thus far.
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HOME SWEET HOME
When you face the No. 1-ranked team in the country, it's always an advantage to play at home. The Gators had the friendly confines of McKethan Stadium on their side.
"The Mac" has been extra friendly this season.
The Gators improved to 20-0 at home and as mentioned above, have won a school-record 27 in a row in front of the home fans.
"It's one of those things where we have played really well at home for a long time,'' O'Sullivan said. "It's one of those weird things you can't explain."
The Gators' single-season record for home wins was set in 1998 when they finished 35-5. With 13 regular-season home games remaining plus the likelihood of more in the postseason, that record has a chance to fall.
