GAME OVER
That's the end of this one. UF claims a 10-7 victory over Siena.
The Gators move to 1-0 on the season. Brandon McArthur may have hit the game-winning triple in the sixth inning, but the real hero of this game was pitcher Billy Bullock. Bullock gave the Gators six great innings of relief, striking out six batters (two in the ninth) and only giving up one run on a solo home run in the final inning. He really stabilized the game after Kyle Mullaney got off to such a rocky start. You can be sure Bullock will have some fun questions to answer in the post-game interviews.
These teams meet again tomorrow at 2 p.m.
END EIGHTH
Nothing special in the eighth inning for the Gators. Bryson Barber hit a single to start the frame, but pinch runner Chris Freshcorn was picked off. Josh Adams reached on an error and moved to second after Pigott was hit by a pitch. Tignor got a hold of a pitch, but the Siena right fielder was in the proper spot to make an easy catch.
The Gators are ahead 10-6 with half an inning to go to seal their victory.
MID EIGHTH
Bullock gets two straight inning-ending double plays. He hit the first batter of the inning, but his excellent ground ball work is keeping the Gators ahead.
UF is still up 10-6.
END SEVENTH
The seventh inning went through Siena's first baseman. A popup and a ground ball came to him for the first two outs. Then, he was on the receiving end of a ground-ball throw to close out the inning.
UF couldn't add to its lead, but still is ahead by four runs, 10-6.
MID SEVENTH
A quick single gave Siena a man on base, but Bullock remained strong.
After inducing a fly out, Bullock got a Siena pinch hitter to ground into a 4-6-3 double play.
UF still leads 10-6 after six and a half innings.
END SIXTH
A leadoff single from Barnes and a walk to Pisani gave UF two men on base with no outs.
So, of course, Brandon McArthur came to the plate with a chance to give UF the lead. What does the senior do in his first game in more than a year? He hits a two-run triple over the center fielder's head. The crowd erupted as he slid into third base. At one point in his lumbering around the basepath, I thought he was going for an inside-the-parker.
Freshman Josh Adams hit a single down the left field line to bring home McArthur and Townsend, who stole his second bag of the game, matching his career total.
UF takes its first lead of the game after six innings, 10-6.
MID SIXTH
Wow. That was fast. Is this game turning into a pitchers' duel? Bullock mowed down three straight Siena batters to end the Saints' half of the sixth.
Siena and UF are still tied 6-6. Coming in to pitch for the Saints is Will Hassett.
END FIFTH
A leadoff single by Barber was rendered useless by a Siena double play. The grounder went up the middle, but Siena's shortstop made a great diving stop, tossed the ball to second base on his back and the second baseman converted the double play with a throw to first.
Interestingly, the next batter, Josh Adams, hit a grounder to about the same spot, but the shortstop couldn't make the play. Pigott hit a single thereafter, giving UF two runners on base. But the inning ended with a Tignor strikeout.
The game is still tied 6-6 after five innings.
MID FIFTH
A leadoff single didn't faze Bullock. The righty struck out the next two batters he faced and got a third out on a grounder to second to end Siena's half of the fifth.
Bullock is pitching much better than Mullaney. He has faced only seven batters in two innings compared to Mullaney's 19 batters in three innings.
UF and Siena are still locked at 6 runs apiece halfway through the game.
END FOURTH
Cole Figueroa tied the game with a two-out double to the left-center field gap. Pisani, who reached on a walk, scored from first base on the double. Had Avery Barnes not been thrown out attempting to steal second before Pisani's walk, UF would have the lead.
The game is tied 6-6 through four innings.
MID FOURTH
Bullock looks very comfortable on the mound. He struck out his first batter and forced the second into a groundout. Though he allowed a walk to the third batter, Tignor corrected his mistake by throwing out Siena's runner at second base on a steal attempt.
Siena is still ahead 6-5.
END THIRD
Jon Townsend got on base with a walk and promptly stole a base for only the third time in his career. But the Gators couldn't bring Townsend home, striking out twice and grounding out in the inning.
Billy Bullock comes in to pitch for UF now, relieving Mullaney.
Siena is up 6-5 after three innings.
MID THIRD
Kyle Mullaney gave up a solo home run to the second batter of the inning and also gave up the momentum UF had earned in the second inning.
After a Siena single, however, Mullaney buckled down and retired the next two batters. Siena leads 6-5 after three.
END SECOND
A chaotic second inning saw nine total runs scored, and five of them went for the Gators.
A two-run Jon Townsend home run to left field highlighted the five-run inning for UF. Siena and UF are knotted up at 5-5 after two innings. Kyle Mullaney is staying in the game for the third inning.
MID SECOND
I may have jinxed the Gators on this one. With the bases loaded, I said out loud, "I'm feeling a grand slam right about now."
Sure enough, Siena's Moises Rivera hit a grand slam to left center field.
Mullaney got in trouble after two outs, giving up two singles and then a walk to load the bases. Rivera has five RBI on the night.
Siena got two more singles after the grand slam, prompting two UF pitchers to go to the bullpen, but Mullaney finished the inning with a fly out to right field.
Nine Siena batters reached the plate in the half-inning. Siena leads 5-0.
END FIRST
Avery Barnes struck out to start the Gators' half of the inning, then Clayton Pisani followed suit.
Cole Figueroa got on base thanks to a four-pitch walk, but then Brandon McArthur grounded into a fielder's choice, shortstop to second.
Only one pitch was hit fair during the half-inning. Siena still leads 1-0 after one inning.
MID FIRST
That was fast. Siena got on the board with a quick double and single off UF starter Kyle Mullaney.
Mullaney responded quickly, however, striking out the next two Siena batters and getting the third to ground out to second base. Siena leads 1-0 after half an inning.
PRE-GAME
The lengthy process of player introductions is almost over.
Three players are going to miss this opening series: CF Matt den Dekker, Dustin Bamberg and Brett Smith. Josh Adams is starting at center field in place of den Dekker.
