GAME OVER
Other than Clayton Pisani getting hit in the back, there wasn't much noteworthy about UF's ninth inning. The Gators emptied the bench, bringing in Brett Bentley (for his second AB of the year), Bryson Barber, Riley Cooper and Teddy "Please Don't Stop the Music" Foster. Cooper almost grounded into a game-ending double play, Bentley struck out, Barber singled and Foster struck out to end the game.
Pisani did score to give UF its second run of the game, but it didn't matter in the end.
END EIGHTH
UF brings in Kyle Mullaney, who promptly walks the first batter he sees. Both UF relievers walked their first batter tonight, definitely not a good sign for the bullpen. Tapley hits a single, moving McGee to third with no outs. Tapley steals second on the first pitch to Justin Posey.
Tapley scores when Posey hits a ground ball to second base. Mullaney walks Holt, then gives up an RBI-single to Stidham. I declare this game over, though the rules state they have to play for three more UF outs.
As if it wasn't over already, Mullaney throws a wild pitch, scoring Holt from third. Mullaney is doing a terrible job right now, and the Gators are warming up Billy Bullock and Dustin Bamberg in the bullpen.
Mullaney finally gets his second out on a grounder to third base, but Posey scores from third, giving the Seminoles double digits. Another batter, another hit allowed by Kyle Mullaney. This one goes to the shorstop, but is just out of Figueroa's reach. This game is way out of the Gators' reach, and Bamberg comes in to close out the inning.
In the mean time, the PA announced the UF-UMass basketball score and the crowd went wild. So much for a neutral site.
FSU brings in a pinch hitter, Ohmed Danesh, and he mercifully strikes out to end the inning. Bamberg may be the Gators' best relief pitcher.
MID EIGHTH
Barnes hits a ground ball to first base to start the inning, and the first baseman has to make a jumping throw to get Barnes out. However, it is a bad throw, and the pitcher can't get it, colliding into Barnes. Barnes goes to second base on the throwing error from Guinn.
Den Dekker strikes out looking, much to the chagrin of Barnes at second. Figueroa then grounds out to second base, moving Barnes to third. But with two outs already in the inning, the Gators' chances of success are greatly diminished.
Josh Adams then walks, bringing up Dustin Bamberg. Nothing comes of the Gators' mini-rally, however, as Bamberg strikes out swinging.
END SEVENTH
Clint Franklin comes into the game to replace Locke, and he walks Holt to begin the inning.
Stidham flies out to right field next, and all the FSU fans screamed, as they thought it was a home run when it left the bat.
That's when things get really ugly for UF. Franklin gives up a two-run homer to Buster Posey, and it looks like the game is about over. The Seminoles' war chant music is playing over the loudspeaker, and the delighted fans chant along with it, then spell out "F-L-O-R-I-D-A S-T-A-T-E."
Franklin is clearly frustrated, and hits the next Seminoles batter, Jack Rye.
Townsend makes a great stab at third base, diving to his right to grab a ball, then standing up and throwing to first just in time to get the out. Franklin gets a strikeout to end the inning, but the Noles' 5-1 lead looks really good right now.
MID SEVENTH
Brandon McArthur goes down swinging for the second time tonight to start the seventh, not at all what UF wanted from the at-bat. The crowd is now clearly in the Seminoles' favor.
Jonathan Pigott must have thought the strikeout looked like fun, because he followed suit by doing the same thing. The Seminoles fans cheer even louder.
Buddy Munroe grounds out to third base, and it's time to stretch. The pro-FSU crowd is singing a little louder than the UF fans, you can be sure of that.
END SIXTH
Now the game is really flying by. Locke is still in control, getting a fly out to center field and then a ground out to short.
Of course, right when I type that, Locke gives up a bomb to Stuart Tapley, giving FSU a 3-1 lead. The next batter flies out to right field, but the 'Noles get that run back.
MID SIXTH
Two batters up for UF, two fly outs to right field. Adams and Bamberg both go down, leaving not much hope for the Gators in this inning.
Townsend is UF's final batter in the inning, popping out to first base in foul territory. That's all she wrote for the Gators' sixth inning.
END FIFTH
Another inning, another leadoff runner on for the Seminoles. This time, Buster Posey singles up the middle. Jack Rye nearly brings him in, but den Dekker makes a fantastic diving catch in center field to rob Rye of a hit and an RBI.
While Guinn takes swings, Posey gets caught in a pickoff and the Gators have no runners on and two outs. Pretty good for an inning that looked pretty bad for them until the ball made contact with den Dekker's glove.
Back to Guinn, and he flies out to right field to end the inning. The Gators have looked much better in the fourth and fifth after a bad second and third innings.
MID FIFTH
Jon Townsend gets UF's first leadoff hit of the night, and only the second off Strauss. Could this be the start of an inning where they catch up?
Make that two hits in a row to the same side of the field-just past the outstretched arm of a diving shortstop. Will the Gators try bunting to get revenge on FSU?
Pigott grounds a ball right back to Strauss, who turns and throws to second base to get one out. The second baseman can't make the relay throw, though, and UF has runners on the corners with one out and Buddy Munroe coming up.
UF officially puts a runner across home plate as Munroe singles to the shortstop. He had to run to catch up to the slow grounder, and by the time he caught up to the ball it was too late to make a throw to first. Townsend scores and UF looks like it actually has a chance in this one. The Noles all come out to have a mound conference.
Barnes hits a ball very deep to right field, but it stays in the park. Pigott moves to third base on a tag, but Munroe has to stay at first. With two outs in the inning, UF desperately wants a hit to score Pigott and tie this game up.
Den Dekker takes the first strike, and FSU fans cheer. It's definitely an FSU-friendly crowd here tonight. After taking a ball, den Dekker gets plunked, loading the bases. Strauss finally hit a batter, something he had come close to earlier in the night.
Figueroa can't bring the run home, however, as he flies out to deep left field. UF strands three, but does take back one of the two runs from FSU's lead.
END FOURTH
For the first time all night, the Seminoles don't have a leadoff batter on. Locke has calmed down, and struck out Jack Posey to end the inning. The next batter, Tyler Holt, flies out to center field. Could this be a quick inning from Locke?
And as I type that, a 1-3 groundout ends the inning for the Gators. That has to be a load off their backs, not allowing a baserunner for the first time tonight.
MID FOURTH
Finally, UF gets a leadoff runner of its own on. With a single swing of the bat, this game could be tied. Matt den Dekker walked, pleasing the Gators fans in attendance.
Figueroa is next in his usual No. 3 spot, and he moves den Dekker to second base with a grounder to the first baseman. That's the first UF runner in scoring position all night.
Adams, still in his ankle wrapping, shows bunt on the first pitch, then pulls it back. It's a called strike anyway. Another long at-bat for Adams, and this time he pops out to third base. It was an awkward pop-out, as it looked like the ball might fall in for a hit off the bat, but it just stayed up too long and Posey was able to make a leaping catch.
Bamberg comes up for the second time tonight and takes the first two pitches for balls. But nothing materializes, as he flies out to center field to end the Gators inning.
END THIRD
Stidham makes up for the error by dropping a leadoff single into right field, giving the Noles their leadoff batter on in a row. If I know Kevin O'Sullivan at all, and think I do a little after covering the team for two months, he is absolutely enraged at three leadoff batters on in a row.
Buster Posey makes it two FSU hits in a row, as he grounds a ball just past Figueroa. The Noles again have two on and no outs for the second consecutive inning.
And, just like last time, FSU decided to bunt them over, this time with their cleanup hitter. It worked, and the Seminoles have runners at third and second with one out.
The next batter hits a ground ball to third base. Stidham scores, and Townsend and Adams get Posey out in a rundown. So the 'Noles go up 2-0, but there are two outs in the inning and a runner on first.
Delmonico is now 2-2 after bunt singling. That's four bunts in the game for FSU. Astounding.
Make that five bunts in the game. McGee hits a bunt single, loading the bases. Though FSU is only up 2-0, it feels like they're winning by a lot more. O'Sullivan comes to the mound, and it looks like he's not happy with Locke.
Tapley comes to the plate, FSU's DH, and Locke throws a strike to him. On the next pitch, Tapley grounds into a fielder's choice, ending the inning. Somehow, UF got out of that with only one run against them. Bunting like that is nuts.
MID THIRD
Brandon McArthur strikes out with his first at-bat, but at least he took two balls before going down. Other than Figueroa's single through the left side in the first inning, this UF offense has had nothing going.
After a long at-bat, Jonathan Pigott can't get anything going but a fly-out to left field. It looked promising, though, and he got Strauss to throw a few more pitches than he had to anyone since Adams in the first inning.
Buddy Munroe, still rocking the best music on the team, gets on base thanks to an error from Stidham at second base. I like that they're playing the introduction music for both teams. It adds personality to the game.
So, UF has its first base runner on since the first inning as Barnes comes to the plate. Barnes hits a chopper to first base, and Guinn makes the stop on a funny bounce. UF gets nothing in the third, and Strauss is throwing a great game.
END SECOND
For the second inning in a row, Locke gives up a leadoff hit, this time to Tony Delmonico. The crowd-which sounds and looks like it's mostly FSU fans-cheers wildly as Delmonico gets on base.
After Locke throws two straight balls to Mike McGee, UF coach Kevin O'Sullivan walks out to talk to him. Brandon McArthur also comes over from first base, and O'Sullivan eventually leaves Locke out there.
After the talking-to, Locke throws his third ball, and then walks McGee on four pitches. That's two on and no outs for the Seminoles. Stuart Tapley is next for FSU, and he calmly lays down a great bunt back to Locke. The 'Noles advance both runners, and have them on second and third with one outs.
Then, FSU takes me by surprise by bunting home Delmonico. Locke has no choice but to throw to first, and McGee goes to third base. It's an early 1-0 lead for FSU, and it doesn't look like it's going to be Locke's night.
Tyler Holt flies out to right to end the inning, but the damage is done. FSU takes the early lead.
MID SECOND
Adams gets to renew his long at-bat, and then lines out right to the shortstop. It looked like the shortstop took a shot right in the gut, but he held on to the ball.
Dustin Bamberg, retaining his role as a designated hitter, flies out to center field on the first pitch he sees from FSU starter Ryan Strauss. It looks like this is going to be a quick inning for the Gators.
Jon Townsend goes down 0-2 in the count, then proceeds to strike out swinging on the next pitch. That was one heck of an inning from Strauss. I guess this is what it looks like when the Gators don't score early.
END FIRST
After nearly an hour without Internet, we have finally gotten it back up. The wireless router in the press box here in Jacksonville died, a $1000 machine, according to the IT guy. He replaced it with a $50 Linksys router, and we're up and running without issue. That's why Linksys is the best-selling router in the country, to my knowledge.
Anyway, the first inning is already over. The Gators' first half of the inning started with two outs and then a single from Cole Figueroa. After an eight-pitch at-bat to Josh Adams, Figueroa tried to steal second base and was thrown out, so Adams will be up at the start of the second. Adams' leg is taped up after fouling a pitch off his ankle on Sunday, but he appears to be fine.
The Seminoles' first inning started with a hit from Tyler Holt, and then a fly out to left field from Jason Stidham.
While Buster Posey is up to bat, Holt steals second base. Holt then moves to third on a passed ball. With the next pitch, Posey strikes out swinging. He chased a ball way outside the strike zone and looked silly doing it.
Jack Rye, drawing negative chants from UF fans, walks to first base. That puts runners at the corners with two outs. UF starter Stephen Locke has gotten himself into a bit of a jam here. Let's see what he can do with it.
This is what he can do with it: get Dennis Guinn to fly out to right field to end the inning.
