All spring, Kevin O’Sullivan stressed his team’s strengths were its
pitching and defense.
For the second night in a row, Florida proved its skipper
right.
A
day after Brian Johnson threw six shutout innings in the season
opener, Hudson Randall nearly followed suit, pitching the Gators
(2-0) to a 4-1 victory over South Florida (0-2) on Saturday
afternoon.
The sophomore hurler threw six innings and scattered seven hits to
go along with half a dozen strikeouts and zero walks, allowing just
one run in his first start of the 2011 season.
One of five freshmen All-American’s from last year’s squad, the
righty opened the game striking out the leadoff man.
But USF’s next two hitters ambushed Randall, twice drilling his
first pitch for solid hits. After a fielder’s choice gave the Bulls
a 1-0 lead, Randall settled down and struck out designated hitter
Jimmy Falla to end the inning.
“They took a different approach today,” he said. “They were
swinging at the first pitch. Yesterday they were really patient and
that caught me off guard. Luckily the defense was there for me and
we got the W.”
Five of the Bulls’ seven hits were off the first pitch, but Randall
kept USF’s hitters off balance most of the afternoon, mixing in
sliders and curveballs with spotless control.
“Vintage Hudson Randall,” O’Sullivan said. “I think he threw 65
pitches. Threw 54 for strikes, only 11 balls. Just an outstanding
effort on his part.”
Randall buckled down and escaped several jams, including the fourth
inning when center fielder Bryson Smith helped him out as Smith
gunned down the potential tying run at home plate to end the
inning.
The Gators got on the board early, tying the game in the bottom of
the first off an Austin Maddox fielder’s choice. Nolan Fontana, who
went 3-4, drilled a sharp single into right field to leadoff the
inning. After a Josh Adams sacrifice and a wild pitch, Fontana
scored on a chopper to second base.
Florida took the lead in the third when Daniel Pigott, who leadoff
with a double down the left field line, scored on Adams’ routine
double play.
The Bull’s Andrew Barbosa was tough on the day, matching Randall
pitch-for-pitch. Several Gators hitters had a frustrating
afternoon, including Preston Tucker and Mike Zunino, who combined
to go 0-8 with four strikeouts.
Nick Maronde struggled in his 2011 debut, but Tommy Toledo and the
slick-fielding Fontana bailed him out. Holding onto a one-run lead
in the seventh inning, Maronde allowed back-to-back singles and
eventually walked the bases load. O’Sullivan inserted Toledo in the
game, and USF shortstop Sam Mende laced a ball into the hole, but
Fontana made a diving stab to his right and flicked the ball to
Josh Adams at second, securing Florida’s lead.
“I thought it was a base hit up the middle,” Toledo said. “He came
out of nowhere and made a great play. Definitely everybody was
pumped up after that.”
Toledo pitched the next two innings, earning his first career
save.
“I’ve never really done it before,” he said on his opportunity
closing. “I just tried to go and there and throw strikes and get my
defense to work with me, and today they did.”
In the first two games of the season, UF has played errorless
ball.
Florida added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh when
Ben McMahan singled and later scored on an infield hit by Pigott.
Florida added another run in the eighth, pushing its lead to three
runs.
The series finale is at 1 p.m. Sunday. Karston Whitson, the ninth
overall pick in the MLB Draft, is scheduled to make his Gator
debut.
