The Gators’ bullpen has made games shorter for its opponents this season.
If teams are trailing No. 7 Florida (23-8, 8-4 Southeastern Conference) late in the game, chances are it will stay that way. The Gators are 20-0 when leading after the sixth inning this season thanks in large part to the success of their relievers.
UF will need its bullpen to continue that streak if it gets the opportunity tonight against No. 6 FSU (25-7, 10-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) at 6 in Tallahassee.
“Any time our team gives us a lead, it’s our job to hold off the other team to get the victory,” junior closer Kevin Chapman said. “They work so hard to get that lead, that we got to produce for them.”
Chapman has played an integral role in the bullpen’s success.
After picking up zero saves in his first two seasons, Chapman already has racked up six this year, which leads the team, to go along with a stellar 1.21 ERA.
But his role in the pen was not as clearly defined earlier in the year.
UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan did not give any of the relief pitchers specific roles until the season was in full swing and he knew what he had in them.
In the season opener sophomore Greg Larson, who is now a middle reliever, picked up the save, while Chapman made his first appearance in the third game of the year during the fifth inning in middle relief.
However, that has changed.
Now, relievers Nick Maronde and Jeff Barfield are the main set-up guys for Chapman, who comes in to close the game for the Gators.
“It (earning roles during the season) definitely creates good competition and guys battle not only against the other team but with each other for positions, roles and innings,” Chapman said.
A good balance of righties and lefties have risen to O’Sullivan’s challenge, giving Florida a lot of options out of the bullpen.
The ability to send out either lefties Chapman and Maronde or righty Barfield late in the game for specific hitters has played a role in UF’s success.
“There are definitely matchups in college where certain hitters don’t hit so good against lefties, or certain hitters don’t hit good against righties,” Chapman said. “It gives us a good matchup against certain hitters.”
The closer has been dominant against left-handed hitters, for example. Lefties have just two hits and are batting .095 against the southpaw this season.
“That is probably the strength of our team, to be honest with you — the lefties (Chapman and Maronde) out of the pen,” O’Sullivan said.
JOHNSON AND WASHINGTON OUT INDEFINITELY: After returning home from Knoxville, Tenn., UF pitcher Brian Johnson and right fielder Kamm Washington were reevaluated by head trainer John Barrett on Monday.
According to a team spokesman, Washington has a hamstring injury and Johnson was diagnosed with a left shoulder strain. Both are out indefinitely.
They were injured in Saturday’s 12-4 loss to Tennessee.
