In a season with no rhyme or reason from one game to the next, Friday night proved no different. A week after right-hander Jonathon Crawford tossed a 106-pitch complete-game shutout against Mississippi, the junior didn’t last past the fifth inning in his first series-opening start in nearly a month.
No. 18 Mississippi State (25-8, 4-6) defeated Florida (14-17, 4-6) 7-3 at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville, Miss. The score looked closer than the game indicated. Florida saw not only its three-game winning streak snapped, but the spotty defense and pitching that has led to inconsistent play all season.
The Bulldogs plated four in the third inning on two errors, two hits and two walks. The Gators entered the frame up 1-0 on a Taylor Gushue double in the first.
While Crawford earned conference pitcher of the week honors for the first time in his career, he labored through 108 pitches against the Bulldogs for his fifth loss this season. Although his stat line took a turn with five walks, only two of five runs were earned.
Hunter Renfroe reached in the third on a fielding error from Gators first baseman Vickash Ramjit. Brett Pirtle scored on a passed ball from Gushue. C.T. Bradford scored on an error from shortstop Cody Dent who couldn’t handle the groundball hit to his right. The three miscues summed up a night reminiscent of Florida’s early season struggles.
Zack Powers singled home Gushue in the sixth inning for Florida’s second run. Gushue drove in Harrison Bader two innings later for his second RBI and third double of the night.
Martin returns from injury: While the Gators lost on Friday, they earned a minor victory in the lineup. Freshman shortstop Richie Martin played in the designated hitter spot for his first start since suffering a fractured finger against Miami on March 3. The start was his first ever at the position.
Martin went 1 for 4 with a single batting seventh in the order. He extended his hit streak to 11 games. The freshman has reached base in all 13 games he’s played in this season. O’Sullivan said Martin would only play if he was 100 percent healthy. Martin wore a splint on the right index finger during games until Tuesday night against UCF. He took groundballs before the series opener Friday.
Game 2 starters: Freshman left-hander Danny Young (1-2, 3.12) takes the mound 4 p.m. on Saturday with the series on the line. The Bulldogs counter with senior right-hander Kendall Graveman (3-2, 2.43).
Young has allowed one earned run in his last 11.1 innings. He held Mississippi scoreless over 5.1 innings in his start on Sunday.
A radio broadcast contributed to this report.
Contact Adam Pincus at apincus@alligator.org.
Junior Jonathon Crawford pitches during Florida’s 11-5 loss to Kentucky on March 16 at McKethan Stadium. Crawford allowed just one run in 6.2 innings Thursday against the Bulldogs.
