GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- A six-run outburst in the seventh inning lifted No. 1 Florida to an 11-4 win against the University of South Florida on Tuesday. The Gators improved to 41-8 overall, 24-1 in non-conference play, and a perfect 14-0 in midweek games.
Trailing 4-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth, the Florida bats came to life and generated nine unanswered runs to secure the win. Florida's 41 wins on the season ties a program high. The last time UF strung together 41 wins in a single season was the 2011 squad which finished 41-15 (regular season) and 53-19 (overall).
Two Gators -- newcomer
Jonathan India (2-for-4, 3 runs) and sophomore
Peter Alonso (3-for-4, 2 runs) -- paved the way offensively with multi-hit games. Alonso, who ranks second on the team in career multi-hit games and leads UF in RBIs (47), registered his 27th multi-hit outing and lengthened his team-leading eight-game hit streak. Freshman
Deacon Liput also played a key factor as he and Alonso tallied three RBIs apiece on the night.
Though the Gators came away with a decisive win, it wasn't easy.
USF plated three runs early off Florida starter,
Scott Moss. Three straight singles opened the inning and allowed the Bulls a bases-loaded scoring opportunity with no outs. Duke Stunkel, David Villar, and Joe Genord each recorded RBIs as the Green and Gold built a 3-0 advantage in the top of the first.
The Gators cut their deficit to 3-2 on a pair of hits in the bottom of the frame while taking advantage of a pair of USF walks. Sophomore
Dalton Guthrie got things started after drawing the free base on a 3-2 count and advanced to third on a India single up the middle.
Sophomore
JJ Schwarz came through with an RBI-sacrifice fly near center field to drive in Guthrie for the initial score. Alonso added to the mix, connecting on a hard-hit double to left which pushed India across the plate and narrowed a 3-2 deficit.
Both teams traded scoreless innings through the fifth inning before showcasing their offensive attacks in the sixth.
The Gators trailed, 3-2, when juniors
Frank Rubio entered in the fourth inning, and
Dane Dunning in the sixth. Rubio tossed 2 1/3 innings of three-hit, one-run ball before Dunning took over on the hill. With one away and a USF runner at second, the Bulls' Kevin Merrell delivered on a single to left field for the two-run lead. Rubio was charged with the run.
The Florida offense came to life in the bottom of the frame, generating a pair of runs off three USF walks, one hit by pitch, and a defensive error in left field. Schwarz and Alonso sparked the offensive attack with back-to-back walks before junior
Buddy Reed sent a fly ball to left field. Grazing the glove of USF's Camer Montgomery, Reed reached on the error and was able to send Schwarz around third for the score. Alonso would eventually plate the equalizer on a
Nelson Maldonado RBI-ground out.
The Gator offense continued to attack in the seventh, plating six runs on five hits, two wild pitches, and a pair of walks. Guthrie, India, Schwarz and Alonso led off with four straight hits to open the inning -- all four would go on to score with Maldonado and Rivera plating the fifth and sixth runs. Liput played a key role in the Orange and Blue's scoring effort, sending a three-run triple to right-center field which finalized the six-run effort.
Dunning worked 2 1/3 shutout innings before junior
Kirby Snead came in for relief in the top of the eighth. Dunning (2-2) was credited with the win.
Florida's offense plated one final run in the bottom of the eighth to finalize the 11-4 triumph. India drew a free base off a 3-1 count and was driven in by Alonso's final RBI-single to left field.
South Florida's Garrett Bye (0-1) was charged with the loss following a brief appearance in the seventh inning.
Florida Head Coach K. O'Sullivan
On Florida winning every midweek game this season:
"We did talk about the possibility of going undefeated in midweek games. It's extremely difficult to do because obviously you're playing quality opponents in-state. They get excited to play the Gators. To be able to play at a high level with playing such a difficult SEC slate and to come and bring your game every Tuesday and Wednesday -- it's remarkable. I told the guys that I really wanted to finish this thing off. It's one of those accomplishments that I can use as a teaching point moving forward. It is possible to win every midweek game if you bring your game all the time. It's a team victory. It's just a really, really good feeling to know that we're coaching a team that brought it every game. It's not easy to do."
On left-hander Scott Moss' performance:
"I thought Scott threw the ball fine. I don't think his line was indicative of how he threw the ball. Some unfortunate things happened there in the first, but I thought he battled. It's probably the best he's thrown all year. He didn't walk anybody and battled through some adversity."
Freshman second baseman Deacon Liput
On his bases clearing triple in the seventh inning:
"It felt really good, especially coming into a situation where we had runners in scoring position. My coaches have been preaching to me to not try and do too much, so I didn't try to do too much."
Junior first baseman Peter Alonso
On going 3-for-4 and driving in three runs tonight:
"I was just trying to keep everything simple. I wanted to see the ball up and not swing at anything too out of the zone. I wanted to have nice, short swings."
Postgame Notes:
- With an 11-4 win over the Bulls tonight, the Gators have now won six straight match ups with USF and 18 of the last 19.
- With two runs in the first frame against USF, Florida has outscored opponents by a 47-20 margin in the first inning this season, 20-2 when scoring in the first inning this season.
- The Bulls mounted a 3-0 deficit for the Gators in the first inning, but with the 11-4 win, Florida is now 14-4 when their opponent scores first.
- Florida's seven-run margin of victory is the Gators' largest since March 15 against Arkansas when the Gators defeated the Razorbacks, 9-2.
- Junior Dane Dunning recorded his first win on Tuesday night since a 2-0 decision on March 15th against Florida State.
- Alonso's Multi-RBI game is the 12th in 2016 and 27th of Alonso's career.
- After his hit in the first inning, Alonso extended his career-long hitting streak to eight games.
- Freshman Deacon Liput recorded three RBI in Tuesday's matchup with USF. The Gator has now compiled six multi-RBI games and the total was the second three RBI game of his career.
- Liput was hit by a pitch twice tonight after not recording an HBP all season.
- Florida was again superb in the field on Tuesday night, recording zero errors against South Florida. The Gators are now 23-6 when going errorless in a ball game.
- UF's six runs in the seventh inning was the ninth time the team has scored five or more runs in an inning this season. The 10 batters was the third time in 2016 that 10 batters have come to the plate.
- After tying the ball game in the sixth inning and then adding six insurance runs in the seventh, the Gators moved to 4-1 this season with the contest was tied after the sixth inning.
- The Gators tagged Bulls starter, Michael Clarkson, for four runs, two of which were earned. UF is now 32-5 against right-handed starters.
- Freshman Jonathan India was 2-for-4 in Wednesday's contest. The two hits was India's 14th multi-hit game of his career. The freshman also contributed three runs in the ball game, good for a career-high run total.
- With eight combined runs in the sixth and seventh innings, the Gators overcame the season's largest deficit that was at 3-0 in the bottom of the first. The deficit is tied for the largest of the season with Florida defeating South Carolina on April 29 and Dartmouth of March 6 by the same total.
- UF's six runs in the seventh inning is tied for a season-high. The Gators have achieved the total in three other contests, the most recent coming against Arkansas on March 14.
- With 10 runs this evening, the Gators have now achieved double-digit run totals for the seventh time in 2016 and the fourth time in non-conference play. The 10 runs also pushed Florida's record to 6-0 when scoring 10+ runs in a game.
Up Next:
The Gators return to action on Friday at 7 p.m. ET, when they open a three-game home stand against No. 7 Vanderbilt. Friday and Sunday's action will air live on SEC Network while game two of the series will be televised live on ESPN2. Jeff Cardozo and
Mick Hubert will have the call on the Gator IMG Sports Network for all three games.
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