The Gators didn’t wait long to jump on the Bulls Wednesday.
No. 7 Florida (26-10) used a seven-run first inning to set the tone in an 18-8 rout over USF (17-20) in Tampa.
12 hitters came to the plate for the Gators in the frame as they piled up five hits, including back-to-back homers from Jonathan Pigott and Preston Tucker, to grab a 7-0 lead before USF even had a chance to hit.
After not hitting a round tripper since March 20, Tucker now has three in as many games.
It didn’t stop there.
The Gators continued the onslaught in the seventh and eighth. Already up 11-4, UF scored a combined seven runs in the two innings.
Freshman Mike Zunino clubbed his second homer of the game to left-center field to lead off the seventh. He hit a solo shot in the third as well.
Wednesday marked the fourth-straight game that Florida has racked up three or more home runs.
Another UF relief pitcher got the start in a midweek game Wednesday. Senior Chas Spottswood went for four innings, his longest start since 2006, and only gave up two runs while striking out two.
But the other bullpen pitchers were not as effective.
Sophomores Justin Poovey and Nick Maronde allowed a combined six runs in 2.1 innings of relief.
Maronde did not even record an out as he walked three batters and allowed four runs.
Poovey gave up the other two in 2.1 innings on the mound. It was his first appearance since coming out of the bullpen and giving up nine runs to Tennessee on April 10.
But after that, four UF relievers came out and shutdown the Bulls as they threw 2.2 shutout innings.
Wednesday was Florida’s final game of its eight-game road trip. It went 5-3 during the stretch.
The Gators will be back at home Friday as they begin a three-game weekend series against No. 9 Arkansas, which has won 12-straight games.
