A 53-game season has its peaks and valleys. The Gators can only hope Saturday was their low-point.
The day after losing a 3-2 pitchers’ duel to No. 18 Mississippi, No. 2 Florida (17-5) was crushed as the Rebels (19-5) feasted on Gators pitching in a 15-3 win to clinch the series.
“I was really shocked. I thought we were ready to play,” coach Kevin O’Sullivan said.
Pitcher Hudson Randall did not know he was taking the mound against Mississippi until hours before the game. Freshman Brian Johnson, who normally starts on Saturdays, hit as the team’s designated hitter for the first time this season.
Randall did not look ready and had his worst start of the season. Lasting just one inning, he allowed five runs on six hits.
The freshman relies heavily on his curveball and normally induces several ground balls, but most of the balls the Rebels put in play were line drives and fly balls.
“They’re a momentum team, and little things started going their way,” O’Sullivan said. “Things started to snowball.”
Sophomore Nick Maronde relieved Randall in the second inning, but he did not fare much better. Maronde gave up three runs in the inning, two of them off a homer by designated hitter Matt Smith.
The next pitcher to test the Rebels’ lineup was Anthony DeSclafani. Coming off a start Wednesday when he gave up six earned runs in 1.1 innings, the sophomore did not bounce back.
Normally a starter, DeSclafani ate up three innings out of the bullpen, but he also allowed Ole Miss to score four runs.
UF’s offense looked like it was going to have a big night after scoring two in the first inning on a single by freshman Austin Maddox. But following Maddox’s hit, Mississippi starter Aaron Barrett held Florida hitless for three innings.
The Gators only managed one more run on a fifth-inning double by freshman Nolan Fontana. The shortstop also drew two walks, but he committed his first error of the season in the bottom of the fifth.
After serving as the team’s designated hitter and occasionally its first baseman all season, Maddox has now started three straight games at third base. He has yet to commit an error playing the hot corner.
Florida will send Johnson to the mound Sunday at 2 p.m. as the Gators try to salvage a win from the weekend.
“There’s absolutely nothing we can do about last night, nothing we can do about tonight,” O’Sullivan said. “We have to get ready for tomorrow.”
