Seven-run inning sinks VU in Gainesville
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida delivered a decisive blow in the seventh inning, scoring seven times with two outs to run away with a series-clinching 10-2 victory against Vanderbilt on Saturday afternoon at McKethan Stadium.
The second-ranked Gators (24-5, 6-2 SEC) batted around for the second time in as many days during the seventh inning, clubbing six hits with two down highlighted by a three-run home run from Keenan Bell.
Vanderbilt (17-10, 5-3 SEC) reliever Zach King put two strikes on each of his first two batters before allowing run-scoring hits to both, and appeared poised to escape the jam after inducing a sky-high fly ball on the infield that dropped between three fielders.
The eighth-ranked Commodores did not help their cause offensively, beginning the game 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position before getting on the scoreboard courtesy of an Alonzo Jones run-scoring single with one down in the seventh. The junior’s sixth RBI of the season trimmed the deficit to 3-1. Vanderbilt, however, could not cash in on earlier opportunities, putting two aboard in both the first and third, only to see a strikeout and pop up erase both chances.
Florida took advantage of Vanderbilt miscues in the opening frame, jumping ahead 2-0 on a two-out, two-run single from JJ Schwarz. The base knock followed a botched pickoff attempt that moved runners up to second and third. The Gators loaded the bases one inning later and capitalized on a one-out sacrifice fly from Nelson Maldonado, extending their lead to 3-0. Vandy starter Patrick Raby limited the damage with an inning-ending pop up to strand a runner at third.
Raby (2-4) settled down in the middle frames, retiring nine-straight before Jonathan India extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a two-out single in the fifth. The right-hander drew the loss, allowing three runs on six hits in 5.2 innings while fanning three and walking a pair.
Florida unloaded for six runs against Tyler Brown, who did not record an out while allowing six hits. The insurance was more than enough for Gators starter Jackson Kowar (5-1), who garnered the win, permitting one run and five hits in 6.1 innings.
Philip Clarke logged the lone multi-hit game for the Dores, finishing 2-for-3 with a run. Jones added an RBI and went 1-for-3 while Ty Duvall added a leadoff solo home run in the ninth.
The Commodores and Gators wrap up the series tomorrow at 11 a.m. CT on SEC Network. Freshman Mason Hickman (5-0) gets the nod for the Dores against Tyler Dyson (4-1).