After two straight games where the Florida lineup put the game out of reach early, it looked like the pitching staff would have to win the game on Saturday night.
However, the offense saved the game late.
Designated hitter Zack Powers drove in Casey Turgeon on a walk-off bases-loaded fielder’s choice in the bottom of the 10thinning as Florida (25-19, 12-8 Southeastern Conference) defeated Tennessee (17-24, 5-15 SEC), 3-2 at McKethan Stadium.
A leadoff Turgeon single in a 3-2 count, catcher Taylor Gushue’s second double of the night and an intentional walk to Shafer loaded the bases for Powers in the 10th. He hit an 0-2 pitch hard to the right of shortstop A.J. Simcox, who made a diving stop but was unable to beat Turgeon home with his throw.
“I was looking to hit a fly ball and hit a sac fly to get him in,” Powers said. “He hung a curveball so I just had to put it in play and battle.”
The Gators struggled early against Volunteers’ starter Nick Williams as they managed just four hits through the first five innings.
“I didn’t think a lot of our hitters saw Williams very well,” coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “I thought his fast ball was deceptive. It was getting on us quicker than we thought. He didn’t miss many spots at all.”
Florida cracked Williams in the sixth inning as Gushue drove in second baseman Casey Turgeon with an opposite field double down the left-field line. Left fielder Harrison Bader made it 2-0 an inning later as scored Josh Tobias with a single up the middle.
O’Sullivan then replaced Crawford with left-hander Daniel Gibson, who got first baseman Scott Price to pop out to short on one pitch to end the inning.
Because Florida had a 5-0 lead when starter Danny Young left Friday’s game, O’Sullivan rested top bullpen arms Ryan Harris, Johnny Magliozzi and Daniel Gibson. With a 2-0 lead and all three of the relievers available on Saturday, the game seemingly was set, but they couldn’t hold on.
Gibson replaced starter Jonathon Crawford in the fifth inning and retired the first seven batters he faced until he walked Will Maddox to start the eighth. O’Sullivan put in Harris, who gave up a single to Simcox, advancing Maddox to third. Maddox scored on a sac fly from Price that cut Florida’s lead in half.
Prior to Saturday, Gibson had not allowed a run in 10 of his last 11 appearances over 19.2 innings dating back to March 24. In the same time span, Magliozzi had made nine relief appearances and did not allow an earned run in any of them.
“Not everyone is going to have all their best stuff all the time,” Gushue said. “They just came out—it was obvious they didn’t have their best stuff…They did what they could do. It’s not like they didn’t come out here and give it their all because that’s what they do on a daily basis.”
Closer Johnny Magliozzi replaced Harris two batters later and prevented any further damage, but he allowed the tying run in the ninth as he walked nine-hole hitter Derek Lance with one out and then gave up back-to-back singles to Maddox and Simcox — the latter one of which plated Lance.
Magilozzi then gave up a single to Price to load the bases, but got out of the inning by striking out designated hitter Christin Stewart and pinch hitter Vance Vizcaino. He also pitched a scoreless 10th inning.
Even though the bullpen wasn’t dominant as it has been for most of the SEC play O’Sullivan was pleased that his closer didn’t let the game get away from him
“It’s easy to keep your cool and composure when you’re going 1-2-3 in the ninth, but now you got a little bit of adversity. ‘What do you got?’ And I thought he was outstanding.”
Contact Josh Jurnovoy at jjurnovoy@alligator.org.
Sophomore Zack Powers is congratulated by teammates at home plate after hitting his second grand slam during Florida’s 16-5 win against Duke on Feb. 17 at McKethan Stadium.
