If Aaron Rhodes was still fighting for the Saturday starter spot entering Game 2 of the Missouri-Florida series, he has it all but secured now.
The sophomore right-hander, making his third start of the season, tossed a one-hit, complete-game shutout in the No. 6 Gators’ (29-15, 14-6 Southeastern Conference) 5-0 win against the Tigers (19-23, 6-14 SEC) win on Saturday in McKethan Stadium.
“I felt really good about him going into the game,” coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “Took his time before the game, seemed focused.”
Rhodes came out dealing against Missouri. After issuing a seven-pitch free pass to leadoff hitter and pitching counterpart Eric Anderson, Rhodes buckled down, striking out the side.
“It felt pretty good to strike out the side after I walked the leadoff,” Rhodes said.
He only struck out three more batters in the entire game, but Rhodes mixed his pitches well and allowed only one hit — a double to left fielder Dillon Everett down the right-field line in the second inning — for the rest of the day.
“I knew in my mind that I only gave up one hit all day,” Rhodes said. “But the one hit I did give up, he earned it.”
Rhodes pitched effectively and efficiently for the rest of the game, averaging only 11 pitches per inning from the third inning on.
He started the eighth inning shakily, issuing three straight balls to shortstop Josh Lester to start the inning, but O’Sullivan spoke to the second-year righty, and Rhodes recovered to work another scoreless frame.
Rhodes came back out for the ninth and started his last inning the way he went through his first — with a strikeout. He struck out the first two batters of the inning before getting a fly out to end his first shutout win.
“I said, ‘If you want a complete game, keep your pitch count down and go right at them,’” O’Sullivan said. “I think he earned the opportunity to finish that game.”
While Rhodes was dominating the Tigers, the Gators’ offense got ahead early, scoring a run in the bottom of the second on a double play from Zack Powers.
They solidified their lead three innings later in the fifth.
Designated hitter Peter Alonso got on base after drawing a walk, and left fielder Buddy Reed singled to advance him a base. The rally should have ended there.
Third baseman John Sternagel hit a double-play ball to his counterpart in the hot corner, and Mizzou third baseman Ryan Howard tagged third before throwing wildly to first.
Reed hustled around the bases and headed for home, where the throw from right fielder Logan Pearson missed its target, allowing Reed to score.
“I made the turn and I saw the ball was thrown away,” Reed said. “I decided to go to third, and then from there, [third-base coach Craig Bell] sent me home. So just keep running.”
The Gators tacked on another run on an RBI single by second baseman Casey Turgeon.
“The way Aaron was throwing, [that run] kind of loosened everybody up,” O’Sullivan said.
Florida added two runs in the seventh inning. The first came on a towering home run from Powers that a tree in right-center field deflected.
The fifth and final run of the game came on a bunt single from Turgeon, who pushed a ball toward second base and beat the throw, scoring Reed.
The Gators will look to sweep the Tigers in the final game of the series Sunday at 1 p.m. Sophomore left-hander Danny Young (5-0, 1.80 ERA) will likely get the ball for Florida against junior right-hander John Miles Jr. (2-5, 5.04) at McKethan Stadium.
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Aaron Rhodes pitches during Florida’s 3-1 win against Florida State on March 18 at McKethan Stadium.
