The Gators’ freshmen are most comfortable in the spotlight and on the field.
If their name is not one of the nine listed on UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan’s lineup card, then the newcomers start to feel a little anxious and uncomfortable.
Freshman pitcher Brian Johnson didn’t know what to do when he was yanked out of Saturday’s game against USF in the sixth inning.
“I don’t think he’s ever been taken out of a game,” O’Sullivan said. “He didn’t know how to react when I asked for the ball.”
If their play in the opening series was any indication, these first-year players shouldn’t have a problem staying on the field.
No. 5 Florida (3-0) will call upon another freshman, Hudson Randall, to be its starting pitcher in tonight’s matchup against UCF (3-0) at 6:30 in McKethan Stadium.
However, Randall would not be the first member of UF’s No. 1 recruiting class to shine.
Freshmen Austin Maddox and Kamm Washington hit home runs in their first games as Gators. Mike Zunino already knows what it feels like to hit a walk-off single, and Johnson finished his first start without letting up an earned run.
“That’s why we recruit them,” O’Sullivan said. “Good players make coaches look good — it’s as simple as that. There’s no real magic formula.”
Through the first weekend, the freshmen are making their coach look very good.
Maddox hit a home run in each of his first two games and had two more stolen from him by USF center fielder Ryan Lockwood. Those plays kept Maddox from labeling his first series a complete success.
“It was exciting to put on the uniform for the first time,” Maddox said. “I thought I swung the bat pretty good, but I just didn’t have good luck this weekend.”
Pitchers have already started to throw differently to him, as he did not see a fastball after his first at-bat of the series on Friday, when he hit a home run to right field.
He shouldn’t have a problem making the necessary adjustments at the plate because the freshmen have shown they are capable of adapting on the fly.
“We changed up the lineup a little bit, and the next thing you know, you’re asking freshmen who have never sat before to get loose in the seventh inning,” O’Sullivan said.
Washington, who was put in that situation Sunday, admitted to having some trouble coming off the bench late in the game.
“When you are pinch-hitting, it’s a little bit tougher because you sit in the dugout and it’s just mentally harder to come in to the game,” Washington said.
But that wasn’t a problem for Zunino, who sat out the final game of the series until he was called upon to come in late and eventually hit the walk-off single to beat the Bulls.
None of these accomplishments surprised O’Sullivan, though.
“They are certainly capable,” he said. “You never quite know if they are going to deliver when the lights go on and when it really matters, but they did nothing different than what they’ve been doing.”
