In a game where the two teams combined for 34 hits and 26 runs, one big inning was the difference for the Gators.
On a day where the wind was blowing out to left field, No. 6 Florida (11-2) used a six-run sixth to beat Charleston Southern 16-10 on Saturday.
UF pitchers struggled from the beginning as freshman Brian Johnson turned in his worst performance of the season after allowing five runs in just 3.2 innings. The Buccaneers scored nine of their 10 runs within the first five innings using an aggressive approach.
“One of the scouting reports is that they take really early hacks and they are really aggressive,” said catcher Mike Zunino who finished with four RBIs on the day. “We struggled a little bit throwing our secondary stuff for strikes, so it leads to us just throwing fastballs and it ends up getting hit when we leave it up.”
Charleston Southern (5-10) took the early 3-0 lead off of a three-run homer from left fielder Patrick Dolan. But Florida scored the next five runs to gain the lead. The teams continued going back and forth as the Buccaneers went off for four runs in the fifth to go up 9-7.
“With the wind blowing out like it was to left, the pitchers had to keep the ball down,” freshman Austin Maddox said of UF’s pitching performance on Saturday. “Our pitchers left the ball up a couple of times and they capitalized on our mistakes.”
However, the Gators went back on top in the sixth and never trailed again as they exploded for six runs. 11 batters came up to the plate for UF in its highest-scoring inning of the season.
“I’ve seen games like that on this field,” UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “When the wind is blowing out to left, you get a ball up and it goes up in the air, you hold your breath.”
First baseman Preston Tucker hit two of his five RBIs in the inning with a single to drive in Daniel Piggott and Matt den Dekker. He has now raised his average to .389.
“It feels good to get up there with guys on base,” Tucker said. “Earlier in the season I was pressing because I was either getting walked with guys on base, or trying to do to much with the bases empty.”
In the same inning den Dekker hit an RBI triple and he finished the night with two hits to extend his hitting streak to 22 games.
Reliever Greg Larson continued to struggle after allowing four runs in one inning of work on Saturday. His ERA is now up to 20.57.
The Gators will go for the sweep of the Buccaneers on Sunday at 1:00. Sophomore Tommy Toledo will be on the mound for UF.
