You could hear Logan Shore pitching from the stands.
There was a groan that escaped his mouth each time he released the ball, a pop from the catcher’s glove that came with each strike, the sound of his teammates yelling in celebration after each of Shore’s eight strikeouts.
But after 118 pitches in the first complete game of his collegiate career, Shore’s coach could be heard best.
“That was the best start Logan’s had all year,” Kevin O’Sullivan said. “I’ve kind of been waiting for that.”
In Game 2 of its doubleheader, Florida (22-6, 4-4 Southeastern Conference) defeated Alabama (14-11, 4-4 SEC) 8-1 Friday night on the back of Shore (4-2).
In its first game, Florida lost 12-9 in extra innings, using eight pitchers in sharp contrast to the play it received from Shore a few hours later.
The sophomore had been struggling lately, allowing nine runs and seven hits in his last two outings.
“It was definitely my best (game) of the year,” Shore said. “I think it was an awakening and a wake up call, too. You know, I gotta be on my game every time out, especially in the SEC.”
But before the right-hander’s complete game, UF collapsed in Game 1.
The Gators led 4-2 heading into the seventh inning when they surrendered seven runs on six hits.
Starter Aaron Rhodes had played well, allowing just three hits and one run while striking out four batters in three innings. But the rest of UF’s pitchers combined to allow 11 runs and 14 hits.
The Gators managed to pull even with the Tide in the eighth inning, but Taylor Lewis gave up three runs in the tenth to ensure the defeat.
“The story the first game was the pitching. It just wasn’t good,” O’Sullivan said.
Florida started off the second game on a different note, scoring five runs in the first inning as seven different players reached base. UF tacked on two more runs in the third and the fourth before freshman Jeremy Vasquez homered to right field.
“Our plan from the beginning was to attack,” said Vasquez, whose home run was the first of his career. “Just try to get as many runs as we could as soon as possible. And so we just jumped on fastballs.”
Florida didn’t score another run for the remainder of the game but held Alabama scoreless as well.
UF hit .366 in Game 1 and .378 in Game 2 and will look to take the series when it faces Alabama on Saturday at 1 p.m.
“That first one was tough to lose,” second baseman Dalton Guthrie said. “But our goal is, once you lose one, you gotta try to win the series. We knew we had to win the second one and I think we set ourselves up well for tomorrow.”
Follow Ian Cohen on Twitter @ICohenB
Logan Shore (32) pitches during Florida's 9-1 win against Rhode Island at McKethan Stadium.
