The Gators offense could no longer cover the recent deficiencies of UF’s defense and bullpen.
The UF bats have carried the team in its seven-game winning streak, which included a sweep of LSU, the defending nationals champions. The Gators have scored almost nine runs per game during that time.
But during the five games preceding Sunday’s 10-8 loss to Alabama (29-19,10-14 Southeastern Conference), the Florida bullpen’s ERA was an uncharacterisitc 12.6 and its defense had committed five errors.
Those struggles caught up to No. 4 UF (33-12, 17-7 SEC) Sunday as its seven-game winning streak came to an end.
“We got a lot of stuff to work on,” coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “We got to get better.”
The Gators’ bullpen allowed four runs in the game while the defense committed three more errors Sunday.
However, UF’s starting pitching wasn’t much better.
Freshman Brian Johnson lasted just 3.1 innings while giving up six earned runs. In his previous two starts he surrendered just two combined earned runs in 13.1 innings.
Johnson allowed at least two Crimson Tide hitters to reach base in three of the four innings he appeared in.
“Both teams were a little sloppy (Sunday), and we didn’t pitch well to start the game,” O’Sullivan said.
The Gators jumped to a 1-0 lead in the second inning off a solo home run from freshman Austin Maddox. The round-tripper was his 15th of the season, tying sophomore Preston Tucker’s home run total during the first baseman’s historic 2009 campaign.
But UF’s lead did not last long as Alabama put nine runs on the scoreboard by the sixth inning.
That did not deter Florida, however. The Gators cut into the Crimson Tide’s lead until it was just a 10-7 game in the eighth inning.
The Gators loaded the bases in that frame, but could only manage to bring home one run after center fielder Matt den Dekker and catcher Mike Zunino struck out swinging to effective end the rally.
Despite UF’s loss in the series finale, it is now tied for first place in the conference with South Carolina. Both teams have SEC matchups this weekend before meeting each other on May 20.
“If you told me before the season started that we would be tied for first with two weeks left, obviously we would’ve taken it,” O’Sullivan said. “We just need to finish strong.”
Florida will try to fix its recent problems and get back to its winning ways Wednesday as it hosts Florida Atlantic (31-17) at 6:30 p.m.
