Gators offense ignites, silencing the raucous crowd and solidifying their season sweep over rival Florida State.
On Tuesday night, Tallahassee, Florida was the epicenter of one of the most heated rivalries in college baseball. Florida State took on in-state rival Florida for the third time this season.
In a competitive series that has been played for the last 70 years, the fifth-ranked Seminoles were looking to get off the schneid against the Gators, who were 2-0 against Florida State this season ahead of Tuesday's matchup.
Coming into the contest, Florida had won eight of the last nine series over the Seminoles.
Florida State (24-8, 9-3 ACC) continued that drought as Florida (25-9, 7-5 SEC) swept the Seminoles in their three-game season series with a 4-3 victory.
With the tomahawk chop and war chant in full effect from the sellout crowd of 7,000 at Dick Howser Stadium, it was a hostile environment for the visitors from Gainesville, at least in the first two innings.
Florida State starting pitcher Cooper Whited retired the first eight batters he faced. But Florida promptly silenced those war chants as right-fielder Hayden Yost blasted a home run in the third to give the Gators the lead.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Gators went up 2-0 as designated hitter Cole Stanford planted the baseball in the tree tops over the fence. As a result, Whited was pulled and replaced by reliever Gabe Nard.
Nard served up two wild pitches to advance Florida runners into scoring position, then gave up two RBI singles to give the Gators a 4-1 lead in the fifth. After just 18 pitches, Nard was replaced by reliever Cole Stokes to start the sixth inning.
Florida State threatened in the seventh, with runners at first and second with two outs, but switch-hitting left-fielder Chase Williams lined to shortstop for the third out to end the threat with two baserunners stranded.
In the bottom of the eighth, Florida State threatened once again as second baseman Noah Sheffield reached on a throwing error and advanced to second base to lead off the inning. Catcher Hunter Carns then launched a two-run home run to cut the Gators lead to 4-3 with one out.
DH Kelvyn Paulino Je. legged out an infield hit to reach safely, then advanced to second on a passed ball, Next, first baseman Eli Putnam drew a walk, and the war chants cranked back up. But Florida produced two strikeouts to end the Florida State threat as they headed into the ninth inning.
The Gators put two runners on in their half of the ninth, then stranded them as Florida State was able to get out of the jam. The Seminoles had one last chance to plate the tying run and extend the game in the bottom of the ninth.
With two outs, Sheffield hit a bloop single into shallow left field, but was left stranded as the game ended on a strikeout of Seminoles center fielder Brayden Dowd.
The Seminoles pitching staff, the strength of the team this season, had zero command of the strike zone at key times in the game. Batters hit by pitches and pitches high in strike zone were the recipe for disaster that Florida State could not overcome. Also, the Seminoles left nine baserunners stranded, and they struck out 11 times.
Whited took the loss and is 1-2 on the season. Reliever Caden McDonald (3-0) earned the win for Florida, and reliever Joshua Whritenour recorded his sixth save of the season.
Florida State will travel to Atlanta, Georgia, for a three-game series starting Thursday against Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets currently sit atop the ACC standings with a 12-3 record.
How to Watch
Date: Thursday, April 9
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Russ Chandler Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Streaming: ACC Extra
Radio: 100.7 FM WFLA
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