Gator Baseball Loses to Miami 3-2

The Gator baseball team dropped the first game of its weekend series against Miami Friday night, losing 3-2.  Florida has now lost six straight and is 3-7 on the year while Miami improves to 10-0.

Gator coach Kevin O’Sullivan explains the problems he saw in Friday’s game.

The game was scoreless until the fourth when Miami senior catcher Alex San Juan  hit a two run homer to put the Hurricanes up 2-0. San Juan’s homer was the first of his career.

Gator starting pitcher Jonathon Crawford pitched well and threw a career high 103 pitches in six innings of work. The score stayed 2-0 until the Gator eighth inning.

Zack Powers lead off the inning with a walk and later scored on an r-b-i single by Vickash Ramjit who went to second on the throw home. It looked like the Hurricanes would escape further damage but a pop up to shortstop Brandon Lopez by pinch hitter Christian Dicks was dropped with two outs, allowing Ramjit to score the tying run.

Reliever Jay Carmichael was terrific in relief for Florida and he struck out the first two Miami hitters in the ninth inning before giving up a two out single by Chantz Mack. On a pitchout, Mack stole second and he was driven in on a single by clean up hitter David Thompson.

Florida was retired one, two, three in the ninth and Miami had its first win over Florida after losing the last 11 games to the Gators.

Gator outfielder Justin Shafer tied his career-high for hits in a game for the second straight outing, as he went 3-for-4 against the Hurricanes. Shafer is now 5-for-8 against Miami in his career and says he still has hope for a good season.

Carmichael is focused on the team effort and still looks forward to the rest of the series.

The next game of the series takes place tonight at McKethan Stadium with first pitch set for 7:30pm.  Starting on the mound for the Gators will be freshman Tucker Simpson, while Miami will start Javi Salas.

Catch all the action by tuning into Country 103.7 the Gator at 7:25pm.