A day after getting a poor outing from their top starter, the Gators’ got an equally disappointing performance from their lineup.
Florida (14-18, 4-7 Southeastern Conference) mustered just five hits as it fell to Mississippi State (26-8, 5-6 SEC) 2-0 on Saturday at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville, Miss.
Bulldogs starter Kendall Graveman threw a complete-game shutout. The Gators failed to get an extra-base hit off of the senior right-hander. Because Florida grounded into three double plays, Graveman faced just two batters more than the minimum.
“He just threw a really, really good sinker,” coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “He got a ton of ground-ball outs.”
Right fielder Justin Shafer led off with a single in the top of the fifth. It was the only time the Gators had a leadoff man reach base in the game. Third baseman Zack Powers proceeded to ground into a 6-4-3 double play.
In the seventh inning, catcher Taylor Gushue drew a one-out walk and Shafer followed with a single to left to give Florida multiple base runners for the first time. Powers then grounded into a 6-3 double play to end the inning.
“He’s a veteran,” O’Sullivan said of Graveman. “He’s a senior. He’s been around this league a very long time and has had a lot of success. He pitched a really good game and he deserves a lot of credit.”
UF starter Danny Young, who had given up just one run in his last 11 innings, had a rough first inning as he loaded the bases with no outs after a leadoff double, a single and a hit batter. He struck out Bulldogs second baseman Brett Pirtle but walked first baseman Wes Rea and gave up an RBI groundout to put Mississippi State up 2-0.
The freshman left-hander then threw three scoreless innings before sophomore Ryan Harris relieved him in the fifth after Young gave up a leadoff single.
“I think he recovered,” O’Sullivan said of Young. “I don’t think he gave them anything. I think Mississippi State earned what they got.”
The Florida bullpen continued to impress as Harris threw 2.1 scoreless innings and struck out four. Freshman Mike Vinson and sophomore Bobby Poyner shut out the Bulldogs for the final 1.2 innings. In their last seven games, Florida relievers have given up just five runs in 29.2 innings.
The Gators will look to salvage a game of the series Sunday at 2:30 p.m. O’Sullivan said the team must do something different at the plate if it is to leave Starkville with a win.
“We have to have a little better approach,” O’Sullivan said. “Some guys are having three or four at-bats with the same result over and over. So have got to make adjustments a little quicker.”
A radio broadcast contributed to this report.
Contact Josh Jurnovoy at jjurnovoy@alligator.org.
Zack Powers walks back to the dugout after striking out during Florida’s 4-1 loss to Florida State on March 12, 2013 at McKethan Stadium.
