The Gators’ frustration spilled over into a scuffle in the eighth inning of Sunday’s loss. Florida first baseman Vickash Ramjit exchanged words with Kentucky’s Matt Reida after another Wildcats runner scored. Umpires separated the two as coaches ran onto the field to diffuse the situation. UF had plenty to be frustrated about.
Florida (9-12) aims to get back on track as it hosts North Florida (15-6) tonight at 7.
The game provides not only a chance at redemption after the Ospreys beat the Gators 7-6 in extra innings in Gainesville on Feb. 26, but an opportunity for Florida to put another disappointing weekend behind them.
The Gators made it easy for the Wildcats, walking seven on Saturday. Inconsistent hitting prevented a win in the finale. Still, Florida outhit Kentucky every game during the weekend.
Two innings on Sunday magnified UF’s problem.
Connor Mitchell led off the third with a single up the middle only to get picked off by left-hander Corey Littrell. Casey Turgeon singled the next at-bat. Turgeon made the last out at third trying to advance on a Justin Shafer hit to right field.
Mitchell led off the fifth with another single. Turgeon worked Littrell to 3-0 before grounding into a double play on a full count. Florida had four hits in the fifth, but could only score one run.
Discussion from Mitchell and Shafer after the loss Sunday focused on the absence of two-out hits, but there were actually seven.
The problem lies in back-to-back hits occurring in just three innings.
“We got some good at-bats, but obviously we need to bunch them together a little bit more and get a big hit here or there,” O’Sullivan said.
Mitchell shining: Injuries and slumps have created a lineup in flux, and Mitchell has taken advantage.
He entered the game for right fielder Cory Reid in the fourth inning in UF’s 4-1 win against UK on Friday after Reid injured a rib muscle.
Mitchell went 3 for 8 in the series with one RBI and two runs scored. He had the game-winning hit in a 7-6 win against Jacksonville on March 6.
The sophomore only tallied 11 at-bats last season.
“It’s definitely tough, because you are always seeing a different arm. It’s never the same,” Mitchell said of coming off the bench. “Once the timing comes back, it gets fine.”
Simpson starting: Right-hander Tucker Simpson (0-1, 4.96) takes the mound against North Florida on Tuesday for his fifth start this season. The 6-foot-6 freshman didn’t pitch during Florida’s weekend series against Kentucky.
He opened the year as the No. 2 starter but fell out of the rotation when O’Sullivan pushed Jonathon Crawford back a day to make room for freshman Jay Carmichael at the top of the rotation.
North Florida counters with right-hander David Trexler. The junior allowed three earned runs in 3.1 innings against Florida earlier this season.
Contact Adam Pincus at apincus@alligator.org.
Sophomore right fielder Connor Mitchell (13) swings during Florida’s 11-5 loss to Kentucky on Saturday at McKethan Stadium. Mitchell went 3 for 8 in the Gators' series against the Wildcats.
