The Gators will not stop winning.
Florida extended its winning streak to a season-high six games with a 5-3 victory against Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday night at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers.
It wasn’t easy for the Gators (20-18), who used a three-run seventh to avenge a home sweep at the hands of the Eagles (20-13) on Feb. 22-24.
Taylor Gushue doubled home Cody Dent and Casey Turgeon, who led off the inning with a walk against right-hander Harrison Cooney. Vickash Ramjit singled to drive in Gushue for Florida’s final run.
“We got a lot of contributions from a lot of different people,” coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “Really pleased with how we swung the bats and how we pitched [Tuesday night].”
Sophomore left-hander Bobby Poyner threw a career-high 5.1 innings in his second start this season. Ryan Harris, Daniel Gibson and Johnny Magliozzi closed the game out of the bullpen.
The three arms have been dependable options in a season that — until recently — has been marred by late losses.
Magliozzi picked up his ninth save. Right-hander Austin Maddox, now pitching in the Boston Red Sox organization, fell one short of the school record with 12 last year. The Eagles added an unearned run against Magliozzi after Cory Reid and Harrison Bader dropped foul balls in consecutive at-bats. Magliozzi shook off the errors with 1.2 innings fitting of his 1.96 ERA.
“He locates that fastball about as good as anybody I’ve ever coached,” O’Sullivan said. “When he is on point, he is really tough to hit. He throws some of those pitches that are impossible to do anything with.”
Nick Rivera plated the first run of the game for Florida Gulf Coast on a single in the first off Poyner, who settled down and retired 13 of his next 16 batters.
Bader singled home Justin Shafer in the fourth. Josh Tobias drove in Zack Powers on a single into left-center in the sixth. Seven starters registered hits.
The Gators reached double-digit hits with 12 for the 14th time this season. Gushue and Shafer, batting third and fourth, went 5 for 9 at the plate.
Florida took a 4-hour bus ride to Fort Myers.
Its winning streak wasn’t the only thing on the line Tuesday night.
“We just wanted to continue to play well,” O’Sullivan said. “We had added motivation obviously. My message was: ‘We don’t lose to anybody in state four times.’”
Florida traveling to Missouri: Playing the toughest schedule in the country has its perks. Florida not only has experience facing a ranked team in every Southeastern Conference series it has played, it also has a softer schedule moving forward.
Florida, 8-7 in the SEC, visits Missouri, 4-11 in the conference, for its farthest road trip this season. Friday night’s matchup marks the first meeting between the two teams.
“We are playing better,” O’Sullivan said. “We will give the guys off [Wednesday] and get on the plane on Thursday morning, practice Thursday night, hand the ball to Jonathon (Crawford) and hopefully continue this winning streak.”
A radio broadcast contributed to this report.
Contact Adam Pincus at apincus@alligator.org.
Sophomore catcher Taylor Gushue swings Florida’s 14-5 win against South Carolina on April 12 at McKethan Stadium. Gushue leads the Gators with 30 RBI.
