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That’s how many days had past since sophomore Tyler Nesbitt pitched for the Florida Gators following a season-ending elbow surgery in the spring of 2021.,
The right-hander returned Tuesday night to help the Florida pitching staff combine for seven strikeouts and just three hits.
The Gator bats didn’t give the bullpen much breathing room, but No. 11 Florida (11-3) did just enough to secure a 1-0 victory in the first battle of a two-game slate against the Jacksonville Dolphins (8-5).
Nesbitt took the hill for his Florida Ballpark debut . The Labelle, Florida, native’s campaign ended last spring when he underwent Tommy John surgery. Now, working his way back to full health, Nesbitt made the most of his first taste of action in a two-inning start.
A five-pitch strikeout opened his 2022 season, and another strikeout closed his first inning. In between the two outs, Nesbitt allowed his only hit of the night.
The sophomore only improved in second frame, closing out the side in three batters and adding another K to his statline. Nesbitt finished with 29 pitches, one hit, and three strikeouts.
The Gators were ecstatic to have the right-handed pitcher back on the rubber.
“It was all love,” Nesbitt said. “They were all so excited for me to be back. It was awesome, the best feeling ever.”
Freshman Ryan Slater took over in relief of Nesbitt, picking up right where the sophomore left off.
Working three more innings than Nesbitt, Slater allowed just one hit and zero walks. His two K’s would add on to the seven total strikeouts thrown by the Gators pitching staff.
The Gators mustered some life offensively, but in spurts.
The spurts were not enough to cash in for runs.
Florida earned just five hits and added one runner on base via a walk through five innings. Sophomore Colby Halter was the only Gator to advance into scoring position, coming in the bottom of the third, but a strikeout from junior Jud Fabian and a popout from sophomore Sterlin Thompson left Halter stranded.
It would be another three innings before Florida had another chance to score. That time, the Gators converted.
Sophomore Wyatt Langford walked with one out in the homeside of the sixth, advancing to second after a bunt from junior BT Riopelle. Junior Kendrick Calilao entered the batter’s box with an RBI opportunity and earned his eighth of the year with a single to bring Langford all the way home from second.
It took a while, but the lead was secured.
After taking the go-ahead run in the sixth, head coach Kevin O’Sullivan opted to bring in freshman Nick Ficarrotta to replace Slater. The Palm Harbor, Florida, product allowed one single that later advanced to second on a stolen base, but worked around the runner to enter the final frame still ahead by one.
“In games like this, a very low scoring game, you need the pitchers to come out and have their ‘A-game,’” junior Kris Armstrong said. “That’s exactly what they did today.”
After a quiet eighth inning for the Gator offense, the pressure was on Ficarrotta to close out a low-scoring affair at Florida Ballpark. After striking a batter out and securing one ground out, the freshman walked Dolphin Christian Coipel to add some suspense to the finale.
Still, a liner to Halter at second base closed the 1-0 ballgame.
“It was a really clean game,” O’Sullivan said. “It needed to be that way if we wanted to win because they pitch really well.”
The Gators host a rematch with the Dolphins Wednesday evening. First pitch from Florida Ballpark is slated for 6 p.m. and will broadcast on SEC Network+.
Contact Carson Cashion at ccashion@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @CarsonCashion
Carson Cashion is a third-year sports journalism major at UF, and the sports editor at The Alligator for the 2022 summer semester. A native of Altamonte Springs, Carson spends his free time walking his dog, Baxter, and listening to good music. He is an avid Tennessee sports fan, and eagerly awaits watching one of his teams win a championship for the first time.
