Sports | Baseball - The Independent Florida Alligator

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida loses in ninth, drops first series this season to Ole Miss

Apr. 1, 2012

For once, it wasn’t the Gators celebrating.

Mississippi's Tanner Mathis (12) watches as the ball clears the fence on a three-run home run hit by Florida's Vickash Ramjit during a college baseball game in Oxford, Miss. on Saturday, March 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Oxford Eagle, Bruce Newman)

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators' bats come alive in series evening win over Rebels

By TOM GREEN | Apr. 1, 2012

For the first 16 innings of Florida’s weekend series against Ole Miss, the Rebels frustrated the Gators’ bats, limiting them to just three hits Friday night and two runs through seven innings Saturday afternoon.

Mississippi's Blake Newalu (6) steals second as the ball gets past Florida's Caey Turgeon (2) during a college baseball game in Oxford, Miss. on Friday, March 30, 2012. (AP Photo/Oxford Eagle, Bruce Newman)

SPORTS | BASEBALL

O'Sullivan not surprised by lack of pop in shutout loss to Ole Miss

Mar. 31, 2012

Florida’s bats still haven’t arrived in Oxford, Miss., and Kevin O’Sullivan isn’t entirely surprised.

Starter Karsten Whitson sits in the Gators’ dugout following a game against USF last season. Whitson has not pitched since an abbreviated outing on Feb. 26.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Whitson still out as No. 1 Florida baseball heads to Ole Miss

Mar. 29, 2012

Karsten Whitson won’t take the mound for the Gators this weekend.

Florida freshman second baseman Casey Turgeon watches as his sixth-inning triple soars toward center fielder James Ramsey. Turgeon’s two RBI on the hit proved to be the winning runs in UF’s 4-1 victory against FSU.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Turgeon’s triple sinks Seminoles, helps Gators clinch season series

Mar. 27, 2012

JACKSONVILLE — An unproven newcomer got the best of a heralded All-American Tuesday night.

Preston Tucker (25) slides past FSU catcher Stephen McGee during UF’s home win March 13. The two top-five teams meet again tonight at 7 at The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators gearing up for second matchup with ‘Noles in Jacksonville

Mar. 26, 2012

For left-handed reliever Steven “Paco” Rodriguez, being the No. 1 team in the nation means more than just a 22-2 record and national acclaim.

Junior shortstop Nolan Fontana drove in the game-winning runs with a two-out triple in the ninth inning of Saturday’s rubber match between No. 1 Florida and No. 8 South Carolina.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators baseball takes two of three in CWS rematch with ‘Cocks

By TOM GREEN | Mar. 25, 2012

The only thing that stood between Florida and its first College World Series title last season was South Carolina — a team that has had the Gators’ number recently.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Fontana's heroics in ninth lift Gators over Gamecocks

By TOM GREEN | Mar. 24, 2012

With one ninth-inning at-bat, Nolan Fontana made everyone forget about his, and the Gators’, struggles against the Gamecocks — at least for the moment.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators baseball evens series with 'Cocks

Mar. 23, 2012

For all intents and purposes, it took longer to get Friday night’s game between No. 1 Florida and No. 8 South Carolina started than it did to decide a winner. Beginning at 7 p.m., Carolina Stadium sat empty and wet for the better part of 84 minutes — hampered by a rain delay.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

South Carolina halts Florida baseball's win streak at 18

Mar. 22, 2012

Austin Maddox flinched when the contact came.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Loss to eventual champs South Carolina still fresh for UF baseball ahead of rematch

Mar. 21, 2012

Florida’s trip last year to Omaha, Neb., for the College World Series continues to weigh on Preston Tucker’s mind for all the wrong reasons.

Sophomore pitcher Johnny Magliozzi pumps his fist after striking out Samford’s Tommy Corbin on March 20, 2011. Magliozzi has a 2-0 record with a 3.07 ERA and two saves in 14.2 innings this season.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Magliozzi leads Gators baseball in gritty midweek win

Mar. 20, 2012

For the first month of the season, Johnny Magliozzi wasn’t quite himself.

Freshman Johnny Magliozzi will get his third career start tonight when No. 1 UF hosts Samford. Magliozzi is 1-0 with a 5.19 ERA in four appearances. He has struck out four batters and walked three in 8.2 innings of work.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Top-ranked UF baseball trying to avoid midweek letdown vs. Samford

Mar. 19, 2012

It would be easy for the Gators to stretch their weekly Monday off day into Tuesday.

Freshmen Taylor Gushue (17) and Casey Turgeon (2) each hit solo home runs in Florida’s 8-2 win against Vanderbilt on Sunday.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Freshmen lead Florida baseball's sweep of Vanderbilt; Thompson has torn ACL

Mar. 18, 2012

The No. 1 baseball team in the country started four freshmen in its lineup Sunday afternoon. This wasn’t an exhibition or a midweek pushover — it was Florida against Vanderbilt with a sweep in the opening weekend of Southeastern Conference play on the line.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Johnson strikes out nine, shuts out Vandy for Florida win

By TOM GREEN | Mar. 17, 2012

By Florida’s lofty standards, its bullpen wasn’t as dominant as it has been all season.

Preston Tucker knocked in a game-high three runs in Florida's 10-2 win against Vanderbilt in Friday night's Southeastern Conference opener.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

UF bats get going late in win against Vandy

Mar. 16, 2012

Tell me if you’ve heard this one before:

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida baseball not overlooking Vandy despite poor season start

Mar. 15, 2012

Vanderbilt will stumble into Gainesville this weekend looking like a shell of the Southeastern Conference baseball powerhouse people tend to think of when the Commodores are discussed.

Freshman Taylor Gushue is hitting .308 with four homers and 12 RBI this season despite a switch from catcher to first base.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Freshman Gushue excelling for UF despite position switch

Mar. 14, 2012

Taylor Gushue has come a long way since the first time Gators coach Kevin O’Sullivan told him he would be starting at first base.

Former Florida baseball player Preston Tucker hits a three-run home run in a 9-2 win against Florida State on March 13, 2012. Tucker will join the Houston Astros on Thursday.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Tucker home run sparks nine-run barrage, leads UF past rival Seminoles

Mar. 13, 2012

With one third-inning swing, Preston Tucker made things right again for the Gators.

In eight innings of work for Florida this season, left-handed reliever Daniel Gibson has allowed just a single hit and zero earned runs.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gibson, bullpen likely to be key against ‘Noles

Mar. 12, 2012

Daniel Gibson knew he would have a bigger role this year. It wouldn’t be a hard feat to accomplish.