JACKSONVILLE — Riding a five-game win streak, FSU didn’t need help to top UF.
That didn’t stop the Gators from lending a hand though.
No. 4 Florida State (20-4) scored five runs off five Florida errors en route to a 7-2 win at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville on Tuesday night. No. 8 UF (18-6) had committed 15 errors all season.
“That’s something that’s uncalled for, especially with the defense we have,” second baseman Josh Adams said. “I take that personal.”
FSU designated hitter Stuart Tapley scored the game’s first run in the second inning after reaching on an error by right fielder Kamm Washington, who ran past Tapley’s fly ball as it found the grass.
Tapley broke a tie again in the fifth when he scored off another error, this time by Preston Tucker with two outs to give the Seminoles a 3-2 lead.
“That was a ball that Preston usually bodies up and keeps in front of him,” UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “I can’t really put my finger on it because we’ve been playing great defense all year.”
Another Gators miscue helped the Seminoles extend their lead in the seventh. Junior Mike McGee hit a routine grounder to shortstop Nolan Fontana, but third baseman Austin Maddox cut in front.
Maddox missed the grounder, distracting Fontana and allowing McGee to reach first. McGee then advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a double by Seminoles right fielder James Ramsey.
Maddox, who has started UF’s last five games at the hot corner, is new to the position and committed two errors Tuesday.
“That team that played tonight wasn’t us,” Maddox said.
A pair of bad outings from Anthony DeSclafani and facial injuries to Tommy Toledo have ravaged UF’s pitching depth, allowing senior Jeff Barfield to make his first start of the season. Barfield, who made eight relief appearances prior to Tuesday, kept Florida State off balance with his curveball.
But O’Sullivan did not use Barfield as a traditional starter, pulling him after he allowed zero earned runs in two innings.
With no pitcher able to throw deep in the game, the Gators used six hurlers.
FSU reliever Brian Busch earned the win Tuesday, pitching 4.1 scoreless innings and allowing three hits. Busch and starter Geoff Parker combined to strike out 10 UF batters.
“Our older guys just got to step up and play better — it’s as simple as that,” O’Sullivan said. “We faced Parker multiple times … you see a guy over and over and over, I’m disappointed in the strikeouts.”
The Gators’ offense managed two runs on six hits against the ’Noles, both runs coming off a second-inning homer by designated hitter Tyler Thompson. The sophomore pulled a pitch that barely carried past the right-field fence.
UF wasted a potentially productive fourth inning when the team failed to capitalize on a leadoff double by Maddox, who finished the game 2 for 4.
With Maddox on third, left fielder Daniel Pigott popped out and Thompson grounded out to end the frame.
Florida is 1-2 against FSU, and the two teams will meet for a final time April 13 in Tallahassee.
