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The Florida Gator baseball team is now 4-0 on the season after cruising past Jacksonville University 13-3 on the road Tuesday night. The Gators carried their opening weekend momentum at the plate into Tuesday’s victory over the Dolphins as they recorded a total 16 hits on the night.
Young talent continued to shine at the plate for Florida. Sophomore outfielder Jud Fabian went three for five at the plate while recording two RBI.
Fresh Faces on the Mound
The midweek match up gave Gator head coach Kevin O’Sullivan the chance to see some fresh faces on the mound. Freshman pitcher Hunter Barco got his first start on the mound for Florida in the game and on a pitch count, he kept Jacksonville scoreless through two innings while allowing allowing three hits.
Barco recorded three strikeouts in his first collegiate start.
Right-hander Nick Ficarrotta took the mound at the bottom of the third. The freshman allowed one hit and one run through two innings and he also picked up the win.
Solid relief outing again for Nick Ficarrotta 👍
2.0 IP / 1 H / 1 ER / 0 BB / 21 TP vs. 8 BF#GoGators pic.twitter.com/TWAGwb2LKe
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) February 19, 2020
In the bottom of the fifth, junior Justin Alintoff headed to mound for the Gators. He pitched well, recording six strikeouts through 3.2 innings pitched.
Florida Stays Dominant at the Plate
One of the most impressive story lines for the Gator baseball this season is their talent at the plate. Fabian put the Gators on the board, 1-0, in the top of the third with an RBI double to left field.
In the top of the fourth Cal Greenfield drove in a run on an error and Fabian remained hot at the plate as his RBI single to left field put Florida up 3-0. Austin Langworthy drew a bases loaded walk to increase the Gator lead to 4-0.
Back-to-back doubles from Cal Greenfield and @judfabe break the scoreless tie 🙌#GoGators
📱💻👀: https://t.co/iFsGUXVdIv pic.twitter.com/NzTsk9BRLN
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) February 18, 2020
Jacksonville responded in the bottom of the fifth. Scott Dubrule hit an RBI double to put the Dolphins on the board, 4-2.
Seven in the Sixth
The top of the sixth featured a series of walks that gave Florida its largest lead of the night as they pushed across seven runs. Langworthy again walked with the bases loaded to force in a run and Kirby McMullen was hit by a pitch to force in another run and a walk to Cory Acton drove in another run to make it 7-2. Jacob Young kept up the momentum at the plate with an RBI single and Nathan Hickey drew another walk that forced in a run.
Later in the inning, an RBI double from Rivera would put Florida up 11-2.
.@joshrivera24 smacks his third hit of the night, and it's a 7⃣-run inning 👀👀#GoGators
💻📱👀: https://t.co/iFsGUXVdIv pic.twitter.com/zEXlOPs696
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) February 19, 2020
The Gators added two runs in top of the eighth with RBI singles from Nick Blasucci and Brock Edge.
Jacksonville scored the final run in the bottom of the eighth off of a balk to make the final score 13-3.
Up Next
Florida returns to McKethan Stadium Wednesday night for another midweek meeting with Jacksonville. The first pitch is set for 6 p.m.
You can listen to live coverage of Florida’s matchup on 98.1 FM/850 WRUF.
