Closer Michael Byrne notched his 25th career save in Tuesday night's win over Florida State in Jacksonville. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
Carter's Corner: Byrne Closed Fast on UF's Career Saves Record
Friday, March 30, 2018 | Baseball, Scott Carter
Michael Byrne's next save will set a new UF career record.
When Byrne took the mound in the sixth inning against Florida State and the Gators nursing a 4-1 lead with one out and a runner in scoring position, he had one career save. Byrne retired 12 of the 13 Seminoles he faced on the night of March 28, 2017, picking up career save No. 2.
Byrne's performance was enough for Gators head coach Kevin O'Sullivan to send him out again three nights later to close a 4-3 win at Missouri. Save No. 3 was in the books.
By the time the Gators celebrated their first national championship three months later in Omaha, Byrne owned a single-season school-record 19 saves.
Fast forward to Tuesday night in Jacksonville, and once again, O'Sullivan called Byrne from the bullpen to hold onto a tight lead against the Seminoles. Byrne delivered as usual, pitching two scoreless innings to preserve a 1-0 UF win, the Gators' seventh in a row over FSU.
Byrne's latest save, the 25th of his career, moved him into a tie with former UF pitcher John Pricher for the most in school history as the No. 2-ranked Gators enter this weekend's home series against Southeastern Conference rival Vanderbilt.
Byrne (1-0, 0.40 ERA, six saves) is having another standout season, limiting opponents to 14 hits and one run over 22 1/3 innings. Byrne has walked two and struck out 19, looking every bit as impressive as during his breakout season a year ago.
O'Sullivan had little to say to Byrne, a junior right-hander from Olympia High in Orlando, when the team reconvened in the fall to prepare for the upcoming season.
"There was no message,'' O'Sullivan said. "He needed to make a couple of adjustments. He needed to use both sides of the plate maybe a little bit more, maybe use his fastball a little bit more. But he's a competitor and there's not much to say.
"The biggest thing with him is not trying to do more than what he did last year. Last year was a special year. This is our 11th year and 19 saves is unheard of. But the other thing, too, you have to be put in position. There were a lot of close games last year. There hasn't been as many opportunities quite yet, but I would assume as we move forward in the season and we start playing better competition, there will be more save opportunities."
Byrne allowed his first run of the season in Sunday's 5-4 victory over Arkansas, a game in which he tossed 3 2/3 innings but needed only 36 pitches. Two nights later, he was back on the mound against the Seminoles and threw only 29 pitches.
Byrne's efficiency and ability to minimize damage is what makes him so effective in the closer's role.
"It goes back to same old thing: he throws strikes with three pitches, he keeps his emotions in check and he's got a knack for making big pitches when he needs to,'' O'Sullivan said. "He changes speeds, and when he misses, his misses are small. They are usually down so he doesn't get hurt as much."
While Florida's starting rotation of Brady Singer, Jackson Kowar and Tyler Dyson garners much of the attention for the reigning national champions, if not for Byrne, the Gators' postseason forecast would not be as sunny.
Pricher, who attended UF from 1988-92, stood alone in the record book for 26 years. Byrne has now joined him and should not only pass Pricher soon, but put significant distance between them if he continues to close out games like he has for the past year.
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