After two weeks of repeatedly stranding runners, No. 4 Florida
exercised some frustrations Saturday afternoon in Starkville,
Miss.
The Gators (25-7, 8-3 Southeastern Conference) demolished
Mississippi State 18-0, as all nine starters recorded at least one
hit and shortstop Nolan Fontana made a triumphant return.
Although UF still left nine runners on base, the Gators pounded the
Bulldogs (21-10, 5-6 SEC) for 18 hits, including a monster grand
slam by catcher Mike Zunino in an eight run second inning.
Zunino (3 for 5 with five RBIs) led off the frame with a single,
joining Preston Tucker (March 23 versus Winthrop) as the second UF
player this season with two hits in one inning.
The eight runs were the most Florida has plated in an inning this
season, and gave lefty starter Brian Johnson all the support he
would need to even the series.
“Anytime you get on the board on the road early, you feel good
about your chances,” coach Kevin O’Sullivan said.
Johnson tossed six shutout innings, scattering six hits while
pitching out of trouble all afternoon.
Florida’s bullpen combined for three scoreless innings, including
two from freshman Daniel Gibson.
O’Sullivan praised Johnson’s effort, saying, “He gave our pen a
chance to rest. We’ve got a lot of guys available for
tomorrow.”
Fontana returned from his one-game absence, going 2 for 4 with two
RBIs and showing no ill-affects from his head injury sustained
against Central Florida last Tuesday.
The Gators scored two more runs in the third and one each in the
fifth and six, before busting out another huge inning late in the
game.
Already up 12-0, Florida put up a six spot in the seventh,
including a pair of runs off a two-out single from Daniel Pigott (2
for 6, three RBIs).
“In the college game you cant sit on an 8-0 lead,” O’Sullivan said.
“They have a good hitting team and we had to keep tacking on
runs.”
