Redshirt-freshman center fielder Michael Robertson has been hitting the cover off the ball lately but hasn’t put forth the stats to back it up. Drives into the alleys and hard contact always seemed to find an outfielder’s glove.
Robertson was presented with a golden opportunity to break out of a 4 for 25,.160 slump. He stepped to the plate with two men in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth with the score knotted at one.
Down to an 0-2 count, Robertson barreled a ball right between the center and right fielder to drive home the winning run. The resulting walk-off celebration carried a pile of blue jerseys all the way to right field.
The No. 3 Florida Gators (29-7, 10-4 SEC) rebounded from a series-opening loss to sneak by the Georgia Bulldogs (19-16, 4-10 SEC) 2-1 in a pitcher’s duel Saturday night at Condron Ballpark.
“Pretty much right off the bat I was in celebration mode,” Robertson said. “My guys did a good job getting on base in front of me, and I got a good pitch to hit, and I squared it up.”
Florida starting pitcher Hurston Waldrep earned a no-decision despite an excellent effort. The junior right-hander tossed seven innings of one-run ball. He struck out eight, walked three and allowed just three hits.
Waldrep and Georgia junior starting pitcher Charlie Goldstein traded scoreless first innings.
Waldrep worked through walks in each of his first two innings. He induced a 4-6-3 double play from junior catcher Fernando Gonzalez to end the second inning.
Goldstein struck out the first two batters in the second frame before he loaded the bases on two walks and a hit-by-pitch. He escaped the jam when he struck out Robertson looking.
The stalemate continued over the next few innings. Waldrep relied on his trusty splitter to strike out six over his first four frames.
Goldstein allowed a runner to reach base in the third and fourth innings but found success forcing popups and weak contact by the Gators’ hitters.
Waldrep finally relented the game’s first hit in the top of the fifth — a leadoff double by Georgia junior third baseman Parks Harber.
Florida junior right fielder Ty Evans was removed from the game after diving for Harber’s hit and coming up short. Evans slid into the right-field wall in foul territory two innings earlier when chasing after a ball and was slow to get up. Sophomore Matt Prevesk replaced him.
Gators head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said removing Evans was a precautionary measure.
With runners on the corners and one out, junior shortstop Sebastian Murillo placed a perfect sacrifice bunt down the first-base line and plated Harber.
Waldrep got off to a rocky start in the sixth inning. Back-to-back Bulldogs singles put two runners on to lead off the inning. Florida’s starter tip-toed out of trouble thanks to a pair of groundballs. The first was spun for a double play while the second ended the inning and left a runner on third base.
The Gators’ offense roared to life in the sixth inning. Junior shortstop Josh Rivera tallied UF’s first hit of the night with a long double to left-center field. One batter later, senior catcher BT Riopelle thumped a ball off the right-center wall for a runs batted in double that scored Rivera and tied the game.
Georgia head coach Scott Stricklin wasted no time going to his bullpen. He brought in freshman right-hander Kolten Smith to replace Goldstein.
Smith yielded a single to junior third baseman Colby Halter to push a runner to scoring position, but Prevesk struck out to keep the game tied at one.
Smith tossed a scoreless seventh inning of relief while setting down the top of Florida’s order, including junior left fielder Wyatt Langford and sophomore designated hitter Jac Caglianone, who went 0 for 4.
Sophomore righty Ryan Slater took over for Waldrep in the eighth and made quick work of the Bulldogs. He recorded a fly out, ground out and strike out to extend the staff’s streak of eight straight sent down and keep the score even at one.
Georgia’s second reliever, sophomore Chandler Marsh, followed up with a clean bottom of the eighth, where he rifled through the heart of the Gators’ order.
Slater allowed a hustle double to junior right fielder Corey Collins with two outs in the top of the ninth. Harber was unable to come through with the potential go-ahead run in scoring position. He flew out to right field on the first pitch he saw from Slater.
Freshman second baseman Cade Kurland began the bottom of the ninth inning with a walk and reached third base on a double to right-center from Halter. Pinch hitter Richie Schiekofer hit next with the winning run 90 feet away and grounded out weakly to first base, which forced Kurland to remain at third.
Robertson stepped up to the plate next and delivered the heroics.
“I like pressure, and I like being in those situations with a rowdy crowd like that,” Robertson said. “I'm just happy I could do it at that moment and celebrate with my guys.”
Florida and Georgia conclude the series Sunday afternoon. First pitch at Condron Ballpark is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will be streamed on SEC Network+.
Contact Ethan Eibe at eeibe@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @EthanEibe.
Ethan Eibe is a second-year UF sports media major and covers Gators baseball for The Alligator. Outside of his writing, Ethan is a play-by-play broadcaster for UF student radio and has spent two summers announcing professional baseball with the Alpine Cowboys. He is a long-suffering Miami Marlins fan.
