Logan Shore was not the ace he has become against Georgia. He left his changeups up. He gave up two two-out RBI singles. Yet, he earned the win.
Shore persevered in Game 1 like he has in his last five starts where he's averaged almost six innings and two earned runs a game. He started Saturday giving up a leadoff single to the speedy Stephen Wrenn and proceeded to throw over to first baseman Peter Alonso eight times while never losing concentration. Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan trotted out to the mound twice throughout the start.
“He battled. I don’t think that was as good of command as he’s had in the past. We’ve come to expect a lot from him. We got to keep in mind that he’s only a freshman, but the mark of a good pitcher is they battle through it,” O’Sullivan said. “Even though it wasn’t his best game, he still gave us a chance. That’s all you can ask for.”
With rain pushing Friday's game to Saturday afternoon and forcing a doubleheader, the Gators needed a stellar pitching performance to save its bullpen for the nightcap.
“I knew Shore coming into (UF). You can always count on him when he gets the ball to compete, give his best effort,” freshman third baseman John Sternagel said. “Obviously today wasn’t as good as he normally is, but he still goes out there and competes, does his job and gives us a great chance to get the ‘W.’”
Left-hander Bobby Poyner picked up the slack by pitching the final four innings. He had a career-high seven strikeouts and threw 12 balls compared to 41 strikes against a lineup with five lefty batters.
Poyner christened 2014 by starting the season opener. Shore has saved the season anchoring the same rotation despite beginning the year as its odd man out. The two have pitched together in four wins this year and combined for a complete game against LSU on March 29.
“I honestly don’t have a great answer for that. I just try and come in, and hold his win,” Poyner said of their success. “You never want to give up somebody else’s win. Together we’ve done a good job.”
Gushue's Gators getting lineup stability: Taylor Gushue has batted fourth for 28-consecutive games and all 20 since centerfielder Harrison Bader returned to his customary three spot on March 16 for the series finale against Arkansas.
Florida is 13-7 in Bader’s return from his 19-game suspension and 11-4 with Casey Turgeon and Richie Martin batting first and second. O’Sullivan flipped the middle infielders on March 25.
“The biggest thing I think Sully talks about is setting the tone,” Bader said.
As the pitching staff started taking shape so has the lineup that has averaged 5.1 runs per game with Bader manning the three hole. UF entered the Arkansas series scoring 4.5 runs a game.
“Those guys are hitting where they are at, and we’re not going to have any knee-jerk reactions and move them around,” O’Sullivan said. “For us to do anything those four, five guys are going to have to hit.”
Fourth inning fuels Florida: The bottom half of the fourth inning in Game 2 was a scorekeeper’s nightmare. Florida sent 10 batters to the plate and scored six runs. Six consecutive filled-in diamonds dotted the scorecard.
The inning began with Braden Mattson taking an 0-2 slider up the middle for a single.
“Things kind of went our way that inning,” O’Sullivan said. “It was a really good day for us. Anytime you can win two games in one day against a really quality team you’ve got to feel good about it.”
Follow Adam Pincus on Twitter @adamDpincus
