A 14-0 run usually occurs on the basketball court, not the baseball field.
UF (19-11, 7-5 Southeastern Conference), however, managed to turn a 9-2 lead into a 16-9 loss on Sunday in its weekend finale with Vanderbilt (19-12, 5-7 SEC) in Nashville, Tenn.
Gators starter Stephen Locke came out of the game with a 7-run lead after allowing two runs and five hits in five innings of work. Freshman Preston Tucker had just hit his second home run of the game, this one a 3-run job that capped a 4-run sixth inning, and the Gators looked like they were well on their way to winning their first road series of the season.
Instead, the Commodores scored 14 runs in their last three innings, including a 7-run eighth, completing a wild comeback and earning the series win after the teams split the first two games.
The biggest contributing factor to UF's collapse was poor infield defense, with shortstop Josh Adams committing two errors and Tucker adding another at first base.
Of the 16 runs the Gators allowed on Sunday, only 6 were earned, and all 7 runs scored by Vanderbilt in the eighth inning were unearned.
The Gators have made fewer errors than their opponents eight times this season and hold a perfect 8-0 record in those games.
UF coach Kevin O'Sullivan has said many times that pitching and defense will keep the Gators in games. His team showed what can happen when those areas go unaccounted for.
In recent weeks, UF's starters have failed to go deep into games, putting a lot of pressure on the bullpen.
Sunday, Locke turned the ball over to the relievers only to see a huge lead evaporate. O'Sullivan needed six different pitchers to get through the final three innings.
Senior Patrick Keating, who came into the season as the Gators' Friday night starter, continued to struggle in relief of Locke. Keating lasted only one inning after allowing 3 earned runs.
Junior Tony Davis and freshman Anthony DeSclafani gave up a combined 4 runs in two-thirds of an inning, with Vanderbilt tying the game on a 2-run single by Jonathan White.
Billy Bullock, Greg Larson and Alex Panteliodis were all used in the eighth, and Vanderbilt junior shortstop Brian Harris punctuated the comeback with a two-out, 3-run homer off of Panteliodis.
On a positive note for UF, the top of the lineup was extremely productive in Sunday's loss.
The No. 1 through No. 5 hitters combined to go 10 for 23 with 8 runs and seven RBIs.
On the mound, all three starters this weekend reached the sixth inning against Vanderbilt. This is only the third weekend series - Louisville and Duquesne being the other two - where UF's starters have accomplished that feat.
The Gators won Friday's series opener 8-4 behind a two-RBI double from Tucker in the seventh inning. UF lost Saturday 4-3 as Vanderbilt scored the game-winning run on a fielder's choice in the seventh inning.
