Gators fans looking for opening-night souvenirs should have camped out behind the left-field bleachers.
Junior second baseman Josh Adams blasted two home runs to the parking lot behind left field Friday night, helping No. 7 Florida (1-0) defeat South Florida (0-1) 6-2 in the first game of the season.
Batting second in the lineup, Adams finished the game three-for-three with two home runs and four RBIs.
The Gators hit Bulls pitcher Randy Fontanez hard in the first inning. After Adams’ homer, Fontanez walked UF first baseman Preston Tucker and gave up another two-run home run, this time to freshman DH Austin Maddox.
“It was exciting. I felt like I was in a dream,” Maddox said of his debut. “First (at-bat)? That doesn’t happen to many people.”
Fontanez, the preseason Big East Pitcher of the Year, allowed six earned runs in 6 1/3 innings.
Coach Kevin O’Sullivan gave Tommy Toledo the start Friday. The right-handed Toledo missed last season after undergoing surgery on his throwing shoulder.
“My first inning, I was just trying to settle in and I took a look at the crowd,” Toledo said. “I got a little bit comfortable after that.”
Being limited to 71 pitches by O’Sullivan, Toledo allowed three hits and one unearned run in 3 1/3 innings.
But he struggled with his control. Bulls catcher Eric Smith suffered the most from Toledo’s wild throws as he was hit in both at-bats against the Gators pitcher.
“He’s always had command,” O’Sullivan said of his starter. “I think the command issue tonight probably was (because of) a little bit of jitters.”
Sophomores Alex Panteliodis and Greg Larson were strong coming out of the bullpen Friday, giving up a combined one run in 5 2/3 innings.
Larson was particularly strong, retiring eight of nine hitters – two of them with strikeouts – en route to the save.
