Buddy Reed stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the 12th inning looking to get something going for Florida.
After UF blew a 3-2 lead in the ninth, Reed took the first pitch he saw from Dartmouth pitcher Michael Danielak and launched it over the right-field scoreboard, lifting the No. 1 Gators to a 4-3 win in extra innings over the Big Green.
“I just looked for a pitch up and tried to put a good swing on it and thank the Lord I put a good swing on it,” Reed said. “To be honest, I first thought it was a popup, but God is good and it just carried out and we won.”
Florida (11-1) had its chance to end the game in the ninth inning. Heading into the frame, the Gators came from behind twice to tie the game before JJ Schwarz broke the 2-2 deadlock with an RBI single.
However, Dartmouth wasn’t going down without a fight. Down to its final out, the Big Green got runners on the corners with Dustin Shirley up to the plate. UF reliever Shaun Anderson induced Shirley to groundout to shortstop Dalton Guthrie, but his throw to first base pulled first baseman Peter Alonso off the bag, allowing Otsmo to score and tie the game up at three.
The Big Green looked poised to take the lead and Kyle Holbrook singled to right and Nick Horvath picked up the ball and threw home to Schwarz in time to get Joe Purritano, keeping the game tied at three.
“Honestly I thought he was throwing it to third,” Schwarz said. “I just saw it coming towards me and I caught it and looked down and the kid was right there and I just stuck my foot out there and tagged as fast as I could.”
Dartmouth (0-5) tying the game overshadowed a great pitching performance by Brady Singer. Singer, who relieved starting pitcher A.J. Puk, threw three scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out three.
“I felt like all my pitches were working,” Singer said. “I felt like I could’ve commanded the strike zone a little bit better, not get deep in counts as much, but I threw and everything felt good.”
Singer was placed into a pressure situation from the get-go. Dartmouth had runners on first and second with no outs and after a sacrifice bunt, Singer was able to strikeout Michael Ketchmark and then got Justin Fowler to flyout on the next pitch.
“Just kind of be a bulldog,” Singer said of his mentality coming in. “Kind of bear down and work as hard as I can to throw it exactly where I want it and have some sink on it. And of course, when the slider comes around, get some bite on it and just get the guy out.”
After the game went into extras, Florida had a chance to end it in the 11th. With runners on first and second and no outs, India tried to lay down a bunt but instead popped it up to Danielak who caught it and fired to second base to double up Liput.
India’s inability to get the bunt down set up Reed’s heroics the following inning against a Dartmouth team that outhit the Gators 6-5.
“At the end of the day it’s a win and we gotta come back bright and early tomorrow and battle this good Dartmouth team,” Reed said.
Florida and Dartmouth end their three-game series Sunday at noon. Alex Faedo will draw the start for the Gators.
Contact Luis Torres at ltorres@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @LFTorresIII.
UF outfielder Buddy Reed (23) celebrates with teammate Deacon Liput while an FGCU player walks back onto the field during Florida's 8-4 win against Florida Gulf Coast on Feb. 20, 2016, at McKethan Stadium.
