Sports | Baseball - The Independent Florida Alligator

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Florida falls short of No. 5 South Carolina

Apr. 12, 2014

The Gators got on the board first Friday night, but the Gamecocks got the best of them.

Casey Turgeon swings during Florida’s 4-0 win against Maryland on Feb. 14 at McKethan Stadium.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators trounce No. 1 Seminoles to sweep season series

By ADAM PINCUS< | Apr. 8, 2014

TALLAHASSEE — Florida State students arrived two hours before the game to get a ticket. They sat throughout Dick Howser Stadium and filled the right-field bleachers to capacity.

Bobby Poyner pitches during Florida’s 2-1 win against Arkansas on March 15, 2014 at McKethan Stadium.

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Florida drops road series

By ADAM PINCUS< | Apr. 6, 2014

Bobby Poyner, usually reliable, found himself in the middle of Kentucky’s offensive outburst in Florida’s series finale in Lexington, Ky.

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Hanhold struggles, Gators crushed against SEC rival

By ADAM PINCUS< | Apr. 4, 2014

Florida baseball has to watch out for the Friday night hangover in Game 2 against Kentucky and not the kind that comes with a night out in Lexington, Ky., either. Instead, it’s the one that results from a 17-1 drubbing from No. 22 Kentucky (21-9, 5-5 Southeastern Conference) at Cliff Hagan Stadium.

A.J. Puk pitches during Florida’s 9-7 loss against Maryland on Feb. 15 at McKethan Stadium.

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Notebook: Gators look to improve with runners in scoring position

By ADAM PINCUS< | Apr. 3, 2014

Buddy Reed stepped to the plate with runners on first and second in the ninth inning against Florida Atlantic. Florida needed one run for the walk-off win. It never came. The Gators’ leadoff batter reached base in the ninth and 10th frames only to leave the go-ahead run on the bases.

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Pitching staff launches Florida into top-25 ranking

By ADAM PINCUS< | Mar. 31, 2014

March didn’t treat only the Florida men’s basketball program well.

Outfielder Harrison Bader bats during Florida’s 4-0 win against Ole Miss on March 31, 2013, at McKethan Stadium.

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UF completes sweep of LSU

By ADAM LICHTENSTEIN< | Mar. 30, 2014

When Florida visited LSU in May 2013, the Tigers greeted the Gators with a dominating three-game sweep.

Justin Shafer bats during Florida’s 4-0 win against Maryland on Feb. 14 at McKethan Stadium.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida sweeps doubleheader against LSU to open series

By ADAM PINCUS< | Mar. 29, 2014

In a game where one swing can decide a game, Florida had two carry them to a Game 1 victory in Saturday’s doubleheader against No. 4 LSU.

UF coach Kevin O'Sullivan watches from outside the dugout during the Gators' 9-7 loss to Southern Miss. in game one of NCAA Super Regional play in McKethan stadium Saturday, June 6, 2009. O'Sullivan and the Gators were eliminated from the 2014 NCAA Tournament in the regional round on Saturday.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators facing one of nation’s top pitchers in series opener

By ADAM LICHTENSTEIN< | Mar. 27, 2014

The Gators defeated the top team in the nation Tuesday, but now they have to beat one of the best pitchers.

Bobby Poyner pitches during Florida’s 4-0 win against Maryland on Feb. 14 at McKethan Stadium.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida drops final game of series against Texas A&M in extra innings

By ADAM LICHTENSTEIN< | Mar. 23, 2014

The Gators and Aggies went to extra innings for the second time in their three-game series Sunday, but unlike the first time, Texas A&M came out victorious.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida opens series with win over Texas A&M

By ADAM LICHTENSTEIN< | Mar. 21, 2014

Florida (15-7, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) opened its first SEC road series with an extra-inning, 5-3 win against Texas A&M (15-8, 1-3 SEC) on Friday night at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Texas.

Brett Morales pitches during Florida’s loss against Maryland on Feb. 15, 2014, at McKethan Stadium.

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UF freshmen struggling early

By ADAM LICHTENSTEIN< | Mar. 20, 2014

A.J. Puk watched his cousin play against his adopted school Thursday afternoon.

Josh Tobias bats during Florida’s 3-1 win against Florida State on March 18.

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Tobias’ home run, defensive play give Florida momentum

By ADAM PINCUS< | Mar. 18, 2014

Tuesday night, Josh Tobias watched his third-inning solo home run sail into the filled left-field bleachers longer than he normally would.

Aaron Rhodes pitches during Florida’s 3-1 win against Florida State on March 18 at McKethan Stadium.

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Bullpen secures upset victory against No. 2 Florida State

By ADAM LICHTENSTEIN< | Mar. 18, 2014

Normally, when your starting pitcher goes only three innings against the No. 2 team in the country, it means your bullpen is in for a long night of trying to contain a blowout.

Taylor Gushue bats during Florida’s 1-0 win against Arkansas on Saturday at McKethan Stadium. UF went 3 for 15 with runners on base in its 9-3 loss Sunday.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators’ offense struggles in first SEC series of 2014

By ADAM LICHTENSTEIN< | Mar. 17, 2014

The Gators could not buy runs against the Razorbacks.

A.J. Puk pitches during Florida's 4-0 win against Maryland on Feb. 14 at McKethan Stadium. Puk surrendered four runs against Arkansas on Sunday.

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Poor pitching dampens Bader’s return to lineup

By ADAM PINCUS< | Mar. 16, 2014

The problems began four pitches in.

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UF pitching keeps infielders busy; Harrison Bader makes season debut

By ADAM PINCUS | Mar. 16, 2014

Attack the zone. Keep the ball down. Give the defense a chance. Through two games against Arkansas, Florida’s pitchers are doing just that. Logan Shore earned his first collegiate victory with 6.1 innings of work on Friday while Eric Hanhold held the Razorbacks scoreless over five to get the win Saturday night.

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Peter Alonso powers Gators to series-clinching win against Razorbacks

By ADAM PINCUS | Mar. 16, 2014

Peter Alonso was all smiles as he rounded third base and embraced Taylor Gushue who was waiting for him at home following the freshman’s first-career home run.

Florida celebrates during a 4-0 win against Ole Miss on March 31 at McKethan Stadium.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Shore earns first career win in Florida's SEC opener

By ADAM LICHTENSTEIN< | Mar. 14, 2014

Logan Shore earned himself a pie on Pi Day.

Catcher Taylor Gushue throws the ball back to the mound during warmups between innings in Florida’s 4-0 victory against Ole Miss on March 31 at McKethan Stadium.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Defense helps shore up victory

By ADAM PINCUS< | Mar. 14, 2014

With the bases loaded and his start hanging in the balance, freshman Logan Shore put his fielding drills to use. Cleanup batter Krisjon Wilkerson hit a chopper down the third base line. The right-hander quickly got off the mound, gloved the bouncing baseball, planted and fired a throw to first baseman Peter Alonso whose stretch preserved a 1-1 game in the top half of the third inning.