Gator fans have grown accustom to watching Hudson Randall toss
zeros this season. But UF’s baseball junkies were treated to a
special gem from Randall —one day earlier than usual— Friday
night
Normally Florida’s Saturday starter, the right-hander continued his
dominance this season, throwing his second-straight complete game
in the No. 4 Gators’ 3-0 win over Tennessee at McKethan
Stadium.
The sophomore pitched a four-hit shutout in an astounding 74
pitches, halting the Gators short two-game slide.
“It’s unheard of,” coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “I’ve never seen
it. I’ve never witnessed something like that. He deserves all the
credit. To get that performance was exactly why we moved him to
Friday night.”
It was vintage Randall as he pounded the strike zone and toyed with
the Volunteers’ aggressive approach.
Using mostly fastballs and sliders, Randall went to two-ball count
just twice, as Tennessee (19-7, 2-5 Southeastern Conference) swung
often and early, hitting 14 groundouts.
The righty struck out four, walked none and allowed only one base
runner reach second base —via a passed ball— all evening.
“I’m not usually a Friday starter,” he said. “But hopefully I
defined my role tonight.”
Randall (5-0) lowered his ERA to a minuscule 0.54 and needed just
four pitches to end the game.
“I still feel really fresh,” he said.
The Gators (22-5, 5-2 SEC) got on the board in the second when
Austin Maddox launched a two-run bomb clearing the left-field
bleachers. It was Maddox’s second homer of the season and first
since March 6 against Miami.
“It went pretty far,” Maddox said jokingly. “I hit it pretty
good.”
Despite just three runs, the Gators pounded 10 hits, including
solid days from Preston Tucker (2 for 4) and Josh Adams (3 for
4).
Florida squandered bases loaded opportunities in two consecutive
innings, but O’Sullivan said his team’s hitting is a continuing
work in progress.
UF plated an insurance run in the eighth on a wild pitch. After
loading the bases with two singles and a walk, Tennessee reliever
Carter Watson’s first pitch went straight to the backstop, scoring
Mike Zunino.
"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Cambria; min-height: 14.0px;">
Etc.: Randall’s back-to-back complete games were
UF’s first since Tommy Boss pitched two straight in 2004. … Vickash
Ramjit, a sophomore transfer, collected his first hit in a Florida
uniform—a pinch-hit single in the seventh. … Nolan Fontana booted a
ball in the fifth, his seventh error on the year. … Zunino extended
his career-high hitting streak to 15 games.
