Alex Faedo threw his arms in the air.
He had just induced Miami’s Michael Burns to hit what seemed like a routine grounder to the usually automatic, vacuum-like Dalton Guthrie at shortstop. The out would’ve given Faedo a complete game, two-hit shutout.
Guthrie couldn’t field it cleanly.
“Kind of got a little excited too early,” Faedo said before praising his teammate’s defensive capabilities.
Though Faedo was taken out after a following walk and didn’t get a chance to finish what he started, the junior still picked up his first win of the season in No. 3 Florida’s 1-0 win over Miami Friday night at McKethan Stadium.
The win also marked coach Kevin O’Sullivan’s 400th of his career, making him the fastest coach in program history to reach the milestone.
“All the credit really goes to our staff and the players we recruit,” O’Sullivan said. “The players are the ones that win the game.”
Despite question marks in UF’s bullpen, which blew a 2-0 lead to Jacksonville on Tuesday, O’Sullivan knew who he was going to when Faedo got in trouble in the ninth.
The choice was Frank Rubio, who struggled against the Dolphins by allowing two singles.
O’Sullivan was giddy to see Rubio back on the mound.
“Often times when I have a guy that struggles, I cannot wait to run him back out there,” O’Sullivan said. “I just want him to have confidence.”
Though the Gators didn’t provide much of a cushion for O’Sullivan or Faedo, they did scratch across one in the third.
Guthrie reached on a walk and Austin Langworthy singled before Jonathan India laced an RBI single off the glove of third baseman Edgar Michelangeli.
It was all Faedo needed.
The Tampa native surrendered two hits and struck out eight over 8.2 scoreless frames in what might’ve been the best start of his career. The double he yielded to Michelangeli in the fifth broke a streak of 10.2 hitless innings he had against the Hurricanes dating back to last season.
“Faedo pitched outstanding,” UM coach Jim Morris said. “He’s the type of guy you have to beat to get back to Omaha. He’s one of the best in the country.”
O’Sullivan said there was no hesitation sending Faedo back out in the ninth with 98 pitches under his belt.
“He deserved an opportunity to finish the game,” O’Sullivan said. “It’s just that simple,” O’Sullivan said.
While Florida’s pitching has carried its offense five games into the season, O’Sullivan would like to see more life out his team’s bats.
Against UM starter Jesse Lepore, the Gators mustered six hits and registered eight in total all game.
UF will look to turn it on offensively and take the series against Miami Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
“Tomorrow’s a new game,” O’Sullivan said, “and I believe we’re going to get the bats going.”
Contact Patrick Pinak at ppinak@alligator.org or follow him on Twitter @pinakk12
Alex Faedo pitches during Florida's 10-4 loss to Mississippi State on April 9, 2016, at McKethan Stadium.
