Just one day removed from an offensive performance that awarded the Gators their first SEC road victory of the season, the UF baseball team regressed its losing formula: no offensive production and a lackluster performance from the pitching staff.
Florida managed just one run off seven hits against LSU in Game 2 of the series. That, combined with the Tigers’ solid showing at the plate, produced a 13-1 blowout win for the home team at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
LSU (25-15, 10-7 SEC) used strong pitching to suffocate Florida's batters at the plate.
Starter Cole Henry recorded his fourth win of the season after he went 5.1 innings, giving up just one earned run off four hits.
The freshman made UF (26-15, 7-10 SEC) uncomfortable in the batter's box all evening, collecting a season-high 12 strikeouts.
"Cole Henry threw the ball really well," coach Kevin O'Sullivan said in a release. "We weren’t quite as aggressive as we probably needed to be. We took a bunch of fastball strikes early. But credit their starter. He was really, really good.”
The Gators capitalized on only one of Henry's mistakes, scoring a run off of third baseman Cory Acton's solo home run in the top of the fourth inning. The batting order produced just two multi-hit players as shortstop Brady McConnell went 2 for 3 and second baseman Blake Reese went 2 for 2.
The rest of the team hit just 3 for 31.
A 2-1 contest in the fourth inning quickly changed in favor of the Tigers.
A three-run fourth and a five-run fifth opened up the lead to 10-1 and chased UF starter Christian Scott off the mound in the process.
Scott allowed six hits and five earned runs before being relieved by RHP Ben Specht.
The outing resulted in Scott's third loss of the season.
Specht didn't pick up much of the slack left by Florida's starter, however.
The Fort Myers, Florida, native lasted just 1.1 innings before O'Sullivan decided he'd seen enough.
Specht surrendered five earned runs off seven hits. A surprising result, given Specht's last five appearances on the mound garnered just three combined hits and no runs against him.
Again, the bullpen let UF down in an SEC road game.
The series to this point has represented this year’s Florida baseball team well. It showcased the potential to be great at times, but inconsistency from the entire squad is the reason for its struggles.
Follow Evan Lepak on Twitter @evanmplepak and contact him at elepak@alligator.org.
Second baseman Blake Reese went 2 for 2 at the plate in Florida's Game 2 loss to LSU.
