CORAL GABLES — Brian Johnson couldn’t get it done for Florida on the mound, so he did it from the plate instead.
The Gators’ lone left-handed starting pitcher struggled on the mound Saturday night, lasting just 3.1 innings and giving up five runs on nine hits. However, he made up for it with a productive day in the batter’s box, recording a career-high five RBI en route to No. 1 Florida’s 13-5 victory against No. 8 Miami.
“It wasn’t the best night for Johnson, pitching-wise, but he picked it up offensively,” Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “That’s the type of player he is.”
Johnson was ineffective from the rubber, giving up a one-out, two-run home run to Miami catcher Peter O’Brien in the first inning and then allowing four consecutive hits in the fourth frame before he was pulled for Greg Larson.
After struggling to throw his off-speed pitches for strikes and falling behind batters throughout his outing, Johnson turned it around at the plate. He put Florida (9-1) on the board with a two-run home run of his own in the fourth inning (his first of the season) and he finished the night 4 for 5, setting a new career high for hits in a game and coming a triple shy of the cycle. Johnson raised his season average .117 points from .333 to .450 with his performance Saturday.
“I just had to help out the team somehow,” Johnson said. “That's an advantage of doing this all my life. If you have a bad inning or a rough outing — I didn't pitch too well — you gotta put it behind you and go to the plate with a new approach."
Johnson’s fourth-inning blast sparked a fire under the Gators’ offense, as they went on to set season highs in runs and hits (16) as they clinched the weekend series against Miami (8-2).
After Johnson’s blast, freshman Taylor Gushue followed with a nearly identical home run on the next at-bat to tie the game, 3-3.
Gushue didn’t stop there, either.
The freshman, who should be a senior in high school this semester, hit a three-run shot in his next plate appearance to cap a five-run fifth frame for Florida. Gushue launched a 1-0 pitch beyond the right-field wall and onto the third floor of the parking garage behind the stadium, the longest home run at Mark Light Field since former UM player Yasmani Grandal hit one that far a few seasons ago, according to a UF spokesman.
Gushue wasn’t aware of how far he hit the ball, but was in awe when he was told of the distance.
"No way,” Gushue said, gazing toward the parking garage. “I hit it that far? Are you serious? No way! Are you kidding me? I hit it that far?”
Gushue finished the night 3 for 4 at the plate with a career-high four RBI. His fifth-inning towering blast gave the Gators their first lead of the game at 8-5 after they trailed 5-3 entering the frame.
Florida never looked back from there. While Johnson and Gushue combined for seven hits and nine RBI, the Gators also got production from the top of the order. Nolan Fontana had a three-hit night, while Daniel Pigott tied a career high with four hits, all singles, and helped the Gators add at least one run in each of the final four frames.
“That was the best offensive night we’ve had,” O’Sullivan said. “To fall behind after the first three (innings) and to battle and come back like we did, I was awfully proud of the way we swung the bats.”
With the bats booming, Larson’s early appearance out of the bullpen got easier by the inning.
The 6-foot-8 right-handed hurler tossed 4.2 perfect innings of relief to earn his first win of the season. He retired all 14 batters he faced and struck out a career-high four hitters.
Larson attacked the Hurricanes throughout the night with his sinker, inducing seven ground-ball outs and bringing Miami’s surging offense to a screeching halt as Florida won its 10th straight game in the series.
“I wouldn’t say (the Hurricanes are) demoralized, but I think we come in, especially coming into their territory — they bring the best out of us, that’s for sure,” Larson said.
Added Miami second baseman Stephen Perez, who hit a home run off Johnson in the fourth: “It definitely sucks. We only showed up for five innings. That’s pretty much the way it felt. We only came and played for five innings and that was it.”
Etc: The series finale is today at 1 p.m. O’Sullivan said Saturday night he still was unsure of who would start on the mound for Florida with sophomore righty Karsten Whitson sidelined. … Freshman third baseman Josh Tobias recorded his first career RBI with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning.
Contact Tom Green at tgreen@alligator.org.
