GAME OVER
Franklin stays in to finish off the Tigers and this series. He gets two quick ground outs - one to third and the other unassisted to first - before giving up a hit to Justin Hargett and then another right away to Brian Fletcher. Franklin then balks the runners over to second and third and they score on the next pitch off a ground ball that bounces awkwardly over first baseman Brandon McArthur's head.
But all is well in Gainesville, as the next pitch is a fly out to right field. Game over, UF takes the series.
END EIGHTH
After a Pigott ground out to third, Bryson Barber comes in to pinch hit for Pisani. Barber legs out a single on a slow roller to shortstop. Chris Freshcorn will be pinch running for Barber at first base.
Munroe steps to the plate and Freshcorn takes off for second. He is thrown out, becoming only the second Gator to be caught stealing all year. Munroe strikes out swinging to end the inning.
MID EIGHTH
Franklin isn't pitching his best in the eighth inning. After giving up a leadoff single and inducing a fly out, Franklin plunks an Auburn batter, putting two runners on base with one out.
The next Tiger can't get anything done for his team, as he flies out to center field. With only four outs left on the Tigers' series, they better get things going fast.
As I type that, Auburn grounds out to second, ending the eighth inning.
END SEVENTH
Munroe hits a ball deep into left center field, prompting me to say that "it's at least a double." Instead, the ball hangs in a air a bit too long and the center fielder gets under it in time. Munroe touches second base before heading back to the dugout.
Barnes then hits a short ground ball and again falls victim to the first base umpire as he is called out at first. This time I have no doubts the UF player was safe, but the umpire disagrees. Barnes is incredibly frustrated, as he slams his hands on the grass in anger.
Den Dekker hits a grounder to second base, and the second baseman has to dive to make the stop. He can't get up in time to make a throw, however, and den Dekker reaches safely. That's an 11-game hitting streak for the speedy center fielder. He heads to second base on a pickoff attempt from the pitcher. Figueroa walks, and Auburn's coach comes to the mound for a conference.
With Josh Adams coming up, Crawford's day on the mound is done, and in comes Brian Woodall to relieve him.
Adams walks on a full count, and Brandon McArthur surely wants another big hit like he had in the fifth inning. McArthur winds up giving Auburn a taste of their own medicine, dropping a fly ball single right in between the second baseman and center fielder, scoring two runs. All six Gators runs have come with two outs.
Townsend flies out to center to end the inning.
MID SEVENTH
Franklin comes into the game to the electric guitars of the Scorpions' "Rock You Like A Hurricane." He then proceeds to rock the Tigers. The first batter Franklin faces lines out to second base on the first pitch.
The second batter gets a hit off a fly ball that lands just in between Figueroa and Barnes in shallow left field, but Franklin recovers by getting a groundout to third base. The next batter gets a hit to the exact same spot as the second one, just behind shortstop and in front of left field.
Auburn has two on and two outs and their first runner in scoring position since the fourth inning. Pinch hitter Brian Fletcher skies a ball to the pitchers mound, and McArthur and Townsend collide trying to catch the ball. Both called for it, but McArthur comes away with it. The inning ends and UF's shutout is still intact.
END SIXTH
Townsend can't beat out a throw from third base on a bunt attempt. The first baseman gave a full extension and somehow managed to keep his foot on first base while lying flat on his stomach. He might have a little Stretch Armstrong to make that play.
Pigott also hits a ground ball to third base, and he, too, is a victim of half a step. The umpire calls him out, and the fans (of course) disagree. This play was even closer than the one before it. Both go against UF, and it's two outs with Clayton Pisani at the plate. Pisani strikes out. It was the Gators' first 1-2-3 inning since the third.
Clint Franklin will be pitching for Tommy Toledo in the top of the seventh.
MID SIXTH
Toledo walks the first batter of the sixth and O'Sullivan again exits the dugout to talk to him. O'Sullivan must be pretty convincing in his speeches, because Toledo gets a fly out on the next pitch to center field. Toledo gets the next batter to pop out to foul territory near third base, and all of a sudden the inning looks quite managable.
Toledo finishes the sixth inning by getting Auburn's David Cunningham to fly out on the third pitch. The Gators are cruising on defense now, and a couple more runs would certainly put this game out of reach.
END FIFTH
Den Dekker gets on base to start the inning on a fly ball to right field. The Auburn right fielder can't handle it, and den Dekker gets to third base on the error. Figueroa grounds out up the middle, and Josh Adams comes to the plate.
Auburn's entire infield converges on the mound, and Luckie's day is done. Auburn replaces him with Evan Crawford. Crawford inherits a tough situation, with a runner on third and only one out.
Adams reaches first base safely, but den Dekker ran home on the ground ball and was thrown out at the plate. It was a very close play, and O'Sullivan came out of the dugout to argue, but to no avail.
Brandon McArthur hit a double over the right fielder's head, but Adams trips on his way home and is thrown out trying to get back to third base. A few wasted opportunities for the Gators in the fifth, but they're still up by four runs.
MID FIFTH
Toledo surprisingly records his first strikeout in the game on Auburn's Matt Hall. It took more than four innings to get it, but the fans applaud. Toledo goes right back to his previous form, getting a fly out to left field for the second out of the inning. Toledo again gets a batter down 0-2 and then throws three balls in a row. This time, however, Toledo gets a strike out, his second of the inning and day.
It's a 1-2-3 inning for Auburn, and Toledo can now claim a win if UF holds on. Toledo has now gone at least five innings in each of his four starts.
END FOURTH
Josh Adams does it again, this time hitting a double down the left field line, his fifth double of the year. He is now 8-10 in the series, and Karl Hyppolite said, "He doesn't believe in outs." McArthur grounds out to short, moving Adams to third. Townsend can't bring Adams home, instead popping out to first base.
UF doesn't waste its chance, however, as Jonathan Pigott also gets his fifth double of the season, scoring Adams. UF takes a 2-0 lead.
Clayton Pisani successfully adds to the Gators' lead, hitting a bloop of a single over the shortstop and scoring Pigott from second. Pisani may be liking this new DH role. He steals second base, making it 39 on the season for UF. The Gators have exceeded last season's total already.
Buddy Munroe hits a pop up to shallow right field, and Auburn's second baseman can't handle it. The ball drops, and Pisani scores. Munroe gets to second on the play, and Auburn's coach comes out to talk to Luckie on the mound.
Luckie strikes out Avery Barnes to get out of the inning, but UF finally adds to that lead.
MID FOURTH
Jon Townsend makes a great running catch in foul territory to begin the Tigers' half of the fourth. Toledo then walks Kevin Patterson on a full count much to the fans' dismay. Auburn's next hitter makes contact off the end of the bat but the ball is well within the range of Barnes in left field. Toledo walks another hitter, and then a dinky ground ball manages to stay out of Adams' glove at second for a hit to load the bases.
O'Sullivan comes out to talk to Toledo, calming him down. Whatever he said worked, as Toledo gets a groundout to second to end the inning and stymie the Tigers yet again.
END THIRD
Barnes gets a good hack in to start the inning, but lines out right to the third baseman. Matt den Dekker strikes out swinging, earning a moan of despair from the crowd. Figueroa then pops out to third to end the inning.
After a shaky start to the game, Auburn's Cory Luckie has settled in and retired six straight Gators.
MID THIRD
Toledo gives up his first walk to start the third inning, and Auburn moves the runner over to second with a sacrifice bunt. Townsend may have had a chance to throw out the lead runner at second, but played it safe and got the easy out.
Auburn appears to be waiting on pitches more now instead of swinging early in the count. Toledo has worked all three hitters this half-inning to a full count. Auburn's third batter moves the runner to third with a groundout to first base - his second unassisted groundout to first of the game.
Toledo gets Mike Bianucci into an 0-2 hole and then throws him three straight balls to make the count full. After a foul ball, Bianucci pops out to right field, ending the Tigers' threat.
END SECOND
Third baseman Jon Townsend starts the inning with a single to left field, and Jonathan Pigott moves him to second with a ground out. Clayton Pisani, DHing for the second straight day, grounds out to shortstop while Townsend plays a staring game with the shortstop. Townsend can't advance to third, instead retreating to second while the shortstop makes the play at first.
Buddy "I have the best intro music on the team" Munroe comes to the plate, fresh off a two-double performance on Saturday. Instead of adding another double, Munroe strikes out, ending UF's inning. The Gators can't add anything else to their lead.
MID SECOND
Toledo cruises through Auburn's three batters in the second, getting two to fly out to den Dekker in center and the third to fly out to left. Of Uf's six outs, five have been fly outs and three have gone to den Dekker. It's three up, three down for Auburn and the Gators have a chance to extend their lead in the second.
Also, it's incredibly hot. I'm glad I went to get my sunglasses just before the game started, because otherwise I'd be squinting like crazy.
END FIRST
Barnes hits Auburn's pitcher in the leg and the ball bounces toward first base. No one is in a good enough position to throw Barnes at first, and he makes it to the base safely. Matt den Dekker, he of the diving center field catches, comes to the plate next and watches as Barnes steals second base. This is Barnes' eighth stolen base and also he has a nine-game hit streak going. Den Dekker strikes out and Cole Figueroa follows by grounding out to second base.
Josh Adams, who is 6-8 in the series, steps up and comes through for the Gators with a hit through the left side. It's Adams' 21st RBI of the year and UF gets off to antoher fast start. Adams steals second base on the first pitch to Brandon McArthur.
McArthur grounds out to end the inning.
MID FIRST
Toledo records the first two outs of the inning on three pitches, getting a ground out to first and a fly ball to left. Auburn's third batter, Hunter Morris, takes a pitch deep to right-center field for a double. Auburn's cleanup hitter smacks a line drive to center field, and Matt den Dekker makes a great diving catch to end the inning. Toledo got lucky den Dekker was able to get a good jump on the ball.
PRE-GAME
It's so hot out here that my fingers are burning up just touching the keys on my keyboard. It's going to be a long game until the sun gets a little lower in the sky.
Some changes to UF's lineup today: Pitching is freshman Tommy Toledo (2-0, 3.00 ERA). That's all. Other than that, the Gators' lineup is exactly the same as yesterday, a big rarity for this UF team. Maybe UF coach Kevin O'Sullivan has finally found a lineup he's comfortable with. We'll see if he keeps this team constant in the future.
Game starts in about 10 minutes.
