GAME OVER
Tony Davis stays in the game and allows a leadoff single. A stolen base and an error moves the runner to third, and he is brought home with a sacrifice fly. A ground out is followed by a single, and it seems like this game may never end. After a 6:30 start time, it's 9:40 and we don't have a result.
A line out to third finally ends the game.
END EIGHTH
Nothing much doing for UF in the eighth. A 1-2-3 inning for the first time all night sends the Dolphins back up to bat, the game in the balance. Six runs with three outs? Probably not going to happen.
MID EIGHTH
I request that Ace of Base's "The Sign" be played in the stadium, and the music operator complies. Wonderful.
Franklin's still in the game, but he won't last much longer if he keeps giving up doubles like he's doing now. Jacksonville's speedy Chuck Opachich gets to second base on a hit to left-center field, and the remaining people in the crowd quiet down. It's probably the cold, but most of the fans have left.
Franklin gets his third strikeout, and is rewarded by being pulled from the game in favor of Tony Davis.
END SEVENTH
Tignor gets his second hit of the night and then moves to second on a sacrifice bunt from Avery Barnes. I correctly then predict den Dekker will strike out looking. He does so on three pitches.
Then, UF tacks on another run. Cole Figueroa singles up the middle, and Jacksonville changes pitchers before Josh Adams comes to the plate. In comes Steven Eagerton. Lets see if he can solve the mystery that Adams has been tonight.
Adams comes within five feet of hitting a home run. The crowd is disappointed. And I am too, a little.
MID SEVENTH
Franklin is still in, and he gives up a leadoff walk. But he gets out of that quickly, inducing a 5-4-3 double play that quiets any semblance of a Jacksonville rally.
He gets unlucky after that, as the Jacksonville batter hits a line drive to McArthur at first base, but McArthur just misses putting his glove on it. He goes to second base. All is well for the Gators, though, as Franklin gets his second strikeout of the game with the next batter.
END SIXTH
Townsend finally gets his first out of the night, a pop-up to shorstop. Before that out, he had raised his batting average from .232 to .264. Now it's .260, but headed in the right direction.
Dustin "Bam Bam" Bamberg smashed a home run over the left field wall just now. It's his second home run in a row on Tuesday night, and he's definitely going to become a staple at designated hitter if this keeps up. He's gone from one hit on the season before last Tuesday to eight hits after tonight.
McArthur flies out to shallow center field, and then Pisani grounds out to end the inning. Pisani can't buy a hit, and I'd bet Pigott is back in right field tomorrow night.
MID SIXTH
Franklin gets an easy out to start the sixth on a line drive right to the second baseman. But the ball was hit very hard. That's not a good sign. After a high fly ball to center field, he gives up two straight singles. O'Sullivan comes out to talk to him, and retreats to the dugout after about 15 seconds. If only all mound conferences were that brief.
Again, the mound conference works for the Gators, as Franklin gets his first strikeout. After that five-run outburst in the fifth, UF must be thrilled to get out of the sixth unscathed.
END FIFTH
The atmosphere in this place is so different from how it was half an hour ago. Then, the fans were cheering as UF's seventh run crossed the plate. Now, they're dead silent as Tignor strikes out swinging.
Avery Barnes takes a walk, and people wake up a little bit. It's not much, but it may start something. The three through five hitters for UF are 8 for 9 so far tonight, and they come up next.
Barnes helps them out with a stolen base, getting into scoring position for den Dekker. But den Dekker doesn't need to do anything, as he gets on base with a walk.
Up comes Figueroa, and the Dolphins will make a pitching change. Schlee has been anything but dominant, and lefty Matt Tomshaw comes in to replace him. The Gators are looking to get some of those early runs right back, and they'll have a great chance with Figueroa, Adams and Townsend hitting as well as they are tonight.
Figueroa hits a grounder right back to Tomshaw. Both Gators runners were going on the play, so they are safe at second and third. Tomshaw's only play is to first, and he makes it successfully.
Adams comes to the plate, and does his thing, lacing a double to right-center field, bringing UF two more runs. He then tries to steal third and gets thrown out. But hardly mars the second baseman's night. He ties a career-high with 5 RBIs and has a career-high four hits.
TOP FIFTH
After that fundamentals-laden six-single inning from the Gators, it's refreshing to see the Dolphins have it in them too. The start off their fifth inning with two straight singles off Lawler. After he throws a ball to his third batter, UF coach Kevin O'Sullivan comes out of the dugout to settle him down.
O'Sullivan seems to be good at that, as Lawler gets Jacksonville's No. 8 hitter to ground right back to him. Lawler throws to second for the force, but the Gators can't turn two. It's runners at the corners and one out.
Jacksonville sends in a pinch hitter, and he immediately lines a double down the left field line. Most of the press box thinks the ball was foul, and there was no umpire on third base, so the home plate umpire had to make the call. Two runners score, and then a third scores on a single from the next batter. It's 7-3, and Lawler's night almost over
Another hit, this time a infield single that Adams can't get to in time to make the play. Lawler finally ends his string of hits with a fly out to center field, and the runner at second moves to third base.
Another single. The fans are almost completely quiet, and Jacksonville fans are easier to hear. It's 7-4, and Lawler's night is finally done. What started as such a promising night has turned on him. Clint Franklin will come in to finish off the fifth.
Franklin gets a grounder to third base, but Townsend airs the ball over McArthur's head. Another runner scores, and it's 7-5. The Dolphins have now batted around. They just won't go down.
A deep fly out to left field ends the inning, but the Dolphins make up for the Gators' fourth inning. Looks like I was wrong about them not having a chance. It appeared O'Sullivan wanted Lawler to stay in to finish the fifth so he could be on the line for a win, but it didn't work out.
END FOURTH
Jacksonville is going to yank Green after giving up a leadoff single and then a four-pitch walk to Barnes. In comes a guy with a great name: Billy Schlee. Green allowed eight hits and three earned runs so far in his three plus innings of work. He struck out two Gators, but also walked three. It wasn't a very good night for him, with no 1-2-3 innings to his credit.
After a very long wait, den Dekker hits a high ground ball to third base. Jacksonville's third baseman tags Tignor on his way to the bag but cannot make a play at first base. UF essentially exchanged runners and picked up an out.
Figueroa gets an infield to the shortstop, and he barely is able to make the play. The ball doesn't make it to the outfield, saving Jacksonville a run, but loading the bases for Josh Adams.
Adams stays true to form, hitting a single to right field and scoring Barnes and den Dekker. The freshman is 3 for 3 and takes over the team lead in RBIs. A throwing error by the pitcher on a pickoff attempt sends him to second and Figueroa to third. The throw wasn't even close to catching Figueroa, as there was no one standing on second base to get him, and the throw was behind Figueroa's back as he was retreating to the base. It was a very weird throw - no one was within 10 feet of catching it.
Jon Townsend also stays hot, getting a single and scoring Figueroa. Townsend tries running to second on the throw home, but the Dolphins anticipate this and catch him before he reaches the base.
It's two outs with Adams on third, and the Dolphins have their first manageable situation since no outs and no one on. So, of course, they blow it, and Bamberg singles up the middle to score Adams. That's four consecutive singles for the Gators, and this one may as well be over now. I can't imagine them coming back after this.
McArthur singles as well, and then the inning is finally over for the Dolphins as Pisani lines out to shortstop.
MID FOURTH
Lawler gets a groundout to Figueroa at the inning's onset, but then walks the designated hitter to give the Dolphins their first base runner with fewer than two outs. They might have a chance to get something going here.
As I type that, the Dolphins fly out to center field and give themselves only one more out to work with. Lawler should be fine getting out of this inning.
Lawler doesn't even need to get out of it: Jacksonville's base runner tries stealing second base and Tignor makes a great throw to get him in time. The Dolphins tried to get him in scoring position in hopes of cracking this UF shutout, but to no avail.
END THIRD
Cole Figueroa and Josh Adams are on a roll, as they start the inning with a single and a double, respectively. Figueroa goes to third, and UF has a great situation on its hands to expand its lead. Townsend follows with what may have been the slowest single up the middle in history. Green appeared to have trouble with it, and the trouble may have been caused by the new sod. Townsend is 2 for 2 on the night, and his inching closer to a respectable level.
Jacksonville has a conference going on the mound again. The keep the pitcher in, and the fans boo as he makes a third-to-first move. Every time a pitcher moves and doesn't throw the ball to a base, the fans think it's a balk.
Up next is Dustin Bamberg, who has sextupled his season hit total in the last week. Is that the right word? Sextupled? Anyway, Bamberg grounds the ball to second base, where the Dolphins get Townsend. Bamberg is safe at first and Adams scores, bringing the Gators total to 3-0.
And then Bamberg goes and gets himself in a pickle. After about five throws back-and-forth between Dolphins infielders, Bamberg gives up and is tagged for the second out of the inning. At least McArthur doesn't have to worry about any base runners distracting the pitcher now.
McArthur certainly doesn't look worried, roping a single just past the outstretched arm of the Dolphins' shortstop. Pisani bats next and flies out to center, but the Gators still did a good job adding to their lead in the third.
MID THIRD
Lawler opens the third with his first strikeout of the night, a beautiful pitch just on the outside corner of the plate. Jacksonville's hitter thought about swinging but checked his swing. It didn't matter, as the umpire called him out anyway.
Another pop out to third base, this time in fair territory, takes out the second Dolphin of the inning. Again, Lawler looks like he's having a blast against an inferior team. On paper, the Dolphins certainly are inferior. The Gators have a 17-4 record compared to the Dolphins' 13-7, and UF is ranked for the first time this season. So far, things are going according to plan.
As soon as I start saying good things about the Gators, things go wrong. Lawler walks Jacksonville's No. 2 hitter, then commits a throwing error trying to pick him off. The runner gets all the way to third base, and the Dolphins have a runner 90 feet from home for the second straight inning.
It all goes for naught, as Barnes makes a good catch in left field to end the threat.
END SECOND
Brandon McArthur, who I did a small catch-up mini-profile story about online today, begins the Gators' second inning with a swinging strikeout. Pisani makes his first appearance at the plate in a while and pops out to first base. The little break for Green seems to have done him some good, as he's getting ahead of UF batters, throwing strikes and getting easy outs.
Hampton Tignor sees his first action at catcher and his first at-bat in over a week. The sophomore takes a couple tentative swings, fouling back two balls, but eventually takes some pitches and gets a full count. He takes the next pitch, a bouncer in the dirt, and happily trots 90 feet to first base.
The order goes back to Barnes, who struck out looking about half an hour ago. This time, the leadoff man stays true to his usual self, taking the second pitch in between first and second base for a hit. Tignor plods over to third base, and the running joke that is Matt den Dekker's introduction music begins playing.
Den Dekker flies out to left field. Despite the fans' yelling, Jacksonville's left fielder holds on to the ball.
MID SECOND
Lawler is coasting through these first two innings. Two quick pop-ups to center field send Dolphins back to the dugout unhappy.
Then, as I type that, Glen Johnson smacks a ball to deep left-center field. Den Dekker makes an error trying to grab the ball and Johnson makes it to third base. But Lawler returns to form in the next at-bat, getting a ground out to short. The lead remains intact, and the Dolphins can't capitalize.
END FIRST
Left fielder Avery Barnes starts off the Gators' first inning in a very uncharacteristic manner - he strikes out looking. The Gators' leadoff hitter is also the team batting average leader at .400, so it came as a huge surprise to myself and the fans to see him go down looking. Maybe he was distracted by the giant Target logo at his feet.
Center fielder Matt den Dekker takes a bunch of pitches, then gets a free pass to first base. Green makes a couple throws over to first to hold den Dekker to the bag, then gets team-RBI leader Cole Figueroa to pop out to first base. Jackonsville's third baseman made a great play on the ball, practically running into the barrier and then falling backward to make the catch.
Den Dekker steals his seventh base of the year, and he only just made it. If the Dolphins' catcher made a throw that didn't bounce, den Dekker is out by 10 feet. Instead, the ball bounces and dek Dekker gets under it.
With a runner in scoring position, freshman second baseman Josh Adams wants to do his job to get UF a nice early lead. The righty comes off a decent weekend against Ole Miss, capped by a three-run homer on Sunday. Adams continues his hot streak and gets his 26th RBI of the year - watch out, Cole - softly hitting a single over the second baseman's head. The Gators get that early lead, and Josh Adams may burn if you touch him.
Jon Townsend takes the fifth pitch he sees and lines it into left field for UF's second hit of the inning. A consultation forms on the mound as Jacksonville's coach and catcher walk out to talk to Green. No pitching change, just a calming down.
Dustin Bamberg steps to the plate also coming off a great weekend. The senior went 3 for 3 on Saturday in UF's 6-4 win over Ole Miss. He gets a good piece of a pitch, but the right fielder runs back and to his right to make the catch.
MID FIRST
Lawler gets a 1-2-3 inning from the Dolphins with a pop out to third base, a ground out to shortstop and a fly out to Pisani in right field. He didn't appear to have any problems with that one, and the Gators walk back to the dugout five minutes after taking the field.
PRE-GAME
The grass around the home plate clay has been resodded and now resembles an archery target. It looks ridiculous because the grass is so clearly a different color. There is also a patch of new sod from home plate to the pitcher's mound. Who knows what impact that grass could have on a ground ball?
The Gators start Travis Lawler tonight against Jacksonville's Sean Green. Surprisingly, the Gators replace Jonathan Pigott in right field with Clayton Pisani. Pisani will bat eighth in the order. In the designated hitter spot for the fifth game in a row is Dustin Bamberg.
