Gators shortstop Nolan Fontana just smiled, practically speechless. Starter Brian Johnson chuckled and said, "I've never seen that before in my life."
Catcher Mike Zunino simply stated he's seeing the ball well and not trying to do too much.
If only it were that easy for everyone.
Florida's Southeastern Conference Player of the Year candidate walloped his 14th and 15th long balls of the season, including the go-ahead three-run blast, as the No. 6 Gators (40-14, 21-7 SEC) clawed past Kentucky (24-29, 7-21 SEC) 9-6 in a pivotal series Thursday night at McKethan Stadium.
After trading leads all evening, Zunino's shot gave UF the victory and sole possession of first place in the conference after No. 7 Vanderbilt and No. 3 South Carolina both lost later in the evening. If the Gators sweep the Wildcats, they are guaranteed a SEC Championship.
Zunino went 3 for 4 and with two home runs, driving in five runs and continuing to sizzle during UF's crucial stretch. In Florida's past three games, the sophomore has an astounding five homers and 12 RBIs.
"He's as hot as you can get," Fontana said.
"Every game, no matter what day," Johnson added. "He's just coming through whenever we need him."
Johnson (8-3, 3.53 ERA) rebounded well from his previous two rough starts, tossing six solid innings.
The sophomore's breaking ball and changeup were sharp early, and he mixed speeds effectively for six punch-outs.
But Johnson had one crooked inning after the Gators spotted the sophomore a three-run cushion.
"I thought Brian pitched good other than that one inning," coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "He had five really good innings."
In the third, Johnson coughed up the lead with four runs. The left-hander started the frame with a strikeout on a wicked curveball, but Kentucky's next batter hit a high chopper past the mound and Johnson attempted to field the ball barehanded.
Following the painful infield single, Johnson couldn't find the strike zone and walked the next batter. A Zack Powers error loaded the bases when Kentucky's best hitter, Chad Wright, roped a bases-clearing triple down the right field line.
UK third baseman Thomas McCarthy followed with a RBI single. But Johnson settled down in the fourth and fifth, tossing two clean frames.
"He did a great job getting his off-speed over," Zunino said. "He threw his changeup really well early. He gave us a great outing."
In his final inning, the southpaw was hit hard and allowed a leadoff triple and a towering sac fly, briefly giving the Wildcats the lead.
But Kentucky's advantage wouldn't last long as Zunino fought back from a 0-2 count and smashed a 3-2 changeup into the left field bleachers for his third multi-homer game this season. UF's backstop also hit a solo shot in the third, ambushing a first-pitch heater.
Florida started the evening's scoring in the second, plating three runs with three sharply hit singles, an infield dribbler and Fontana's team-leading sixth sacrifice fly of the year.
The Gators plated two insurance runs in the eighth on a bevy of hard hit singles, including Zunino's RBI smash to center.
"He kind-of did it all," O'Sullivan said of Zunino. "He blocked, he received good, called a good game and then hit two home runs. What else can you ask from somebody?"
Etc: Infielder Cody Dent snapped his 0 for 16 streak with a leadoff single in the eighth. It was the sophomore's first hit since March 20. ... In the sixth, Bryson Smith was drilled in the thigh for his club-leading 11th hit-by-pitch. ... Fontana extended his hitting streak to eight games with a RBI single in the eighth.
