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Friday, March 29, 2024

Freshman Tucker takes home Regional MVP, single-season RBI record

When Miami last came to town during the final weekend of February, UF freshman Preston Tucker was fighting for playing time and hitting sixth or seventh in the lineup. The 'Canes swept the Gators on that trip.

How things have changed.

Now the Gators' everyday first baseman and batting third, Tucker went 4 for 5 with three RBIs on Sunday night to help UF blow out Miami 16-5 and sweep the NCAA Regional.

His bloop single to center in the first inning drove in Avery Barnes and gave Tucker UF's single-season RBI record, breaking Ryan Shealy's mark of 80 in 2002. Tucker now has 83 with at least two games left to play this weekend in a Super Regional.

"There's just certain guys that when they come to the plate, everybody stops what they're doing and they watch," UF coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "He's got an air about him. He's got confidence, and you can see it in his mannerisms. He's been locked in for an awfully long time."

It has paid off for the No. 8 national seed Gators (42-20) as well. UF is 35-13 (.729) when Tucker starts at first base.

The Southeastern Conference's Co-Freshman of the Year earned Regional MVP honors after going 9 for 13 (.692) in three games over the weekend, including two home runs, six RBIs and a 1.231 slugging percentage.

"He wasn't in the lineup the first couple weeks, and for him to battle and work, where he's at &ndash he's a tremendous player," UF center fielder Matt den Dekker said. "It's probably one of the most amazing seasons I've ever seen. To do that, coming in as a freshman, to make that adjustment so quick &ndash it shows how talented he is. He's been a major part of our success this season."

Both Tucker and O'Sullivan brought up all the adjustments and learning curve a freshman faces after the game Sunday. The freshman slugger said he has been making adjustments all the way from the first game of the season until now and is still trying to adjust to the quicker speed of the college game.

To the casual observer, it might seem like his current production is just more of the same.

As a junior at Tampa Plant High, he won the Hillsborough County Triple Crown, hitting .561 with nine home runs and 51 RBIs. Two years later in Gainesville, Tucker is hitting .357 with 14 home runs and a .617 slugging percentage. He has struck out only 22 times in 230 at-bats, the fewest among six Gators with more than 150 at-bats.

He has even begun to become the subject of folk lore around Gainesville. Second baseman Josh Adams said he pitched batting practice to Tucker when he arrived in the summer and watched the freshman hit balls off the scoreboard in right-center field, 375 feet away from home plate.

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On two occasions on Sunday night, Miami coach Jim Morris brought in a new pitcher to face Tucker. He had a single in the fourth and then was hit by a pitch in the sixth against the new hurlers.

Through it all, the freshman humbly deflects praise.

"The MVP goes to everyone swinging the bat," Tucker said. "There's always guys on base when I get up there. There's a lot of pressure on the pitcher."

Then again, the way Tucker hits, there might have been pressure on the pitcher with the bases empty.

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