Until recently, Tony Davis has been the epitome of one-and-done.
The sophomore southpaw regularly comes in to pitch to a single batter, and then he returns to the dugout, job well done.
Against Miami in early March, Davis made three appearances in three games, each time facing the Hurricanes' lefty Yonder Alonso. Alonso popped out twice and walked on the third day.
"Being in big situations like that is definitely a lot of fun," Davis said. "I knew a lot about him coming in. I knew he was real good."
Entering last weekend, Davis had seven innings pitched over 12 appearances - an average of 0.58 innings per appearance, the smallest on the roster.
But now, with injuries riddling the pitching staff, Davis has seen playing time considerably longer than one batter and is one of the keys to the Gators' bullpen the rest of the season.
Against LSU on Sunday, Davis went 1 1/3 innings, allowing one hit but striking out three Tigers in relief of Tommy Toledo. On March 25 against Jacksonville, Davis threw a season-high 1 2/3 innings.
And with a team-low, razor-thin 1.08 ERA, don't be surprised if Davis is called on in No. 19 UF's Tuesday-night contest against No. 6 Florida State at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville at 7.
Davis' arm angle dropped in the off-season, and he credits that change with helping him pitch to lefties tougher than he did before.
"It's real hard for lefties to pick it up," Davis said.
Instead of throwing overhand, Davis' arm comes much closer to a side-arm slant. Combine that with a delivery that starts out from behind lefties' backs, and the Gators have a pitcher they can count on to retire lefties.
Neither his parents nor his two sisters are left-handed.
Though he was a starting pitcher at North Broward Prep, Davis said he has no problems staying with a middle-relief role.
"It wasn't a tough transition," Davis said. "Pitching is pitching. You come in, throw strikes, get people out. You're still trying to do the same thing."
If Davis takes the mound Tuesday in a tough situation - bases loaded, no outs, for example - he won't mind at all.
"It's a good pressure," Davis said. "If I sat here and told you it wasn't exciting and my heart wasn't pumping, I shouldn't be out there in the first place."
Both the Gators (20-6, 7-2 Southeastern Conference) and the Seminoles (23-3, 11-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) come into Tuesday's game on top of their respective conferences.
Last season's UF-FSU game in Jacksonville set a Florida college baseball attendance record with 12,280 fans in the park.
UF will start Stephen Locke (2-0, 4.07 ERA) against FSU's Ryan Strauss (2-0, 6.93). Locke earned the 6-1 win over Florida State on March 18.
It will be UF coach Kevin O'Sullivan's first time at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
"I haven't been in that stadium, but I heard last year there was a great crowd there," O'Sullivan said. "It will be great atmosphere for everybody."
The Gators will likely be without freshman second baseman Josh Adams, who fouled a ball hard off his left ankle on Sunday and is day-to-day.
Since Tuesday is a non-conference game, UF will probably let him rest.
