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TOM GREEN
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Alligator Writer
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"mailto:tgreen@alligator.org">tgreen@alligator.org
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Brian Johnson has made a habit of shutting down opposing teams’
lineups this season.
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The sophomore (3-0, 0.00 ERA) kept up his hot start on the mound
Friday night with a five-inning effort, allowing no runs and tying
a career-high nine strikeouts, as Florida (8-1) toppled Miami (4-5)
8-3 in McKethan Stadium.
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“He was really sharp early on,” UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan said.
“Got the ball up a little bit today, but that tells you how good
his stuff is. Even when he’s not at his best, he can still put up
some zeroes on the board.”
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Johnson got it started early against UM, working a 1-2 count to the
first three batters he faced and striking out six Hurricanes in the
first two innings.
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But after throwing 42 pitches over that span, the lefty said he
began to pitch for contact instead of pitching to strike batters
out. The adjustment worked, as Johnson tossed 33 pitches in his
final three innings of work.
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Johnson has been dominant in three starts this season, pitching 17
scoreless innings, a streak he kept the streak alive by blanking
UM’s offense with runners in scoring position.
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Despite allowing runners to reach second base in four of his five
innings of work, Johnson held the Hurricanes to a 0-for-9 showing
against him with runners in scoring position, including seven
strikeouts.
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“It’s just focusing,” Johnson said. “Don’t let one bad thing lead
to another. If you just stay positive and keep pounding the strike
zone, you’ll be fine.”
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With Johnson dealing on the rubber, the Gators didn’t need to
produce much early on offense, but that didn’t stop them from
capitalizing on UM left-handed starter Bryan Radziewski’s mistakes,
tagging the freshman for all eight of the team’s runs.
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Radziewski (1-1) lasted just 3.1 innings, and gave up five two-out
RBIs, including Daniel Pigott’s RBI single to start the scoring in
the second inning.
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The Gators strung together five two-out singles, as they batted
around the order in what wound up being a four-run second
inning.
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Second baseman Josh Adams propelled UF’s offense, going 3 for 3
with three RBI and a run scored, all after O’Sullivan moved the
senior to ninth in the order.
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Like most of UF’s runs against UM, all three of Adams’ RBIs were
with two outs.
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“Once we score one run, we’re more than likely to score another one
in that inning,” Adams said of UF’s two-out rallies. “In the
dugout, it gets everybody going. … It’s just a confidence thing.
Getting ahead of a team early is a big deal.”
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Florida tacked on two more runs in the fifth when Austin Maddox
belted his first home run of the season to the left-field
bleachers.
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Miami scored three in the eighth inning off of freshman left-hander
Daniel Gibson for the game’s final score.
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The two teams will play again today at 3 p.m., with Hudson Randall
scheduled to take the mound for Florida.
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Etc.: UF’s pitchers tossed 13 strikeouts, tying a
season-high. … Tyler Thompson, who has been hampered by a hamstring
injury, made his first appearance of the season, drawing a walk in
his only at-bat. … Nolan Fontana turned a 4-6-3 double-play in the
third as he was spinning and falling to the ground. … The announced
attendance was 4,587 … The three runs Gibson allowed halted a
13.1-inning scoreless streak by Florida's pitchers.
