Right-handed starter Tommy Mace stares down the batter at home plate, composes himself, and launches into his throwing motion.
It’s the top of the third inning, and the crowd at Florida Ballpark started a rhythm of slow claps that echoed throughout the stadium.
Runners stood on first and second base, threatening to score with just one more slip-up akin to those that have plagued Gator pitching early this season. That’s not what happens this time, though. It’s a strike that whizzes past the unsuspecting batter, who is caught staring as the umpire calls strike three.
The crowd is alive, and so is Mace.
The Gators baseball team opened up the second weekend series of the season with a dominating 8-4 win against Samford on Friday.
Mace set the tone for the game with his performance. The right-hander gave up only three hits, retired 11 batters and no earned runs through six innings.
“I thought he was outstanding this week,” Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan said of Mace’s performance. “He responded tonight and set the tone for the weekend.”
The relief staff ran into some blunders but still managed to close out the game. Right-hander Brandon Sproat gave up a solo shot over the right-field wall to Samford designated hitter Tyler McManus in the top of the seventh, his first inning of work.
Sproat’s night came to an end after 1.2 innings, two hits and two runs. Hunter Mink took over in the eighth, giving up one hit and two runs in his inning and a third of work.
The bats continued to stay alive for the Gators.
Jud Fabian has left his early slump behind him. The center fielder went 2-4 on the night, including a rocket that sailed over the wall in left field for his third home run of the season. Fabian also recorded the first hit of the game for the Gators, a line-drive single that snuck under the glove of Samford’s third baseman until it dribbled into left field.
Sterlin Thompson got the start in right field and went 2-2. His night at the plate included an RBI triple that trailed down the right-field line in the bottom of the fifth. Thompson crossed the plate soon after following an error on the throw to third.
“He’s just an elite hitter and just kind of has a good mindset and good approach,” Tommy Mace said regarding Thompson’s continued success at the plate.
While not a great night at the plate for Jacob Young, the left fielder did send an RBI double into left field in the bottom of the fourth. His hit streak extends to 24 games and 637 days.
Despite giving up four runs in the final three innings, the Gators took the game with a final score of 8-4 to open up the series against Samford.
“All in all, it was a clean game,” O’Sullivan said.
Game two will kick off on Saturday at 4 p.m.
Contact Sara Kate Dyson at skatedyson@alligator.org or follow her on Twitter at @sarakatedyson
