The Florida baseball team drops its first home opener since 2007 as Duke edges Florida 4-3 Friday night.  Florida took a lead in the bottom of the second inning as Justin Shafer scored the first run for the Gators after Cory Reid drove him in with a two out single. The hit was also Reid’s first of his collegiate career.

Reid started in right field as the first rookie outfielder in a game one since Josh Adams played center field in 2008. Reid isn’t the only rookie to make a career start friday; Richie Martin started at shortstop and Harrison Bader in left field. All of the freshmen registered their first collegiate hits.

Later, with the score tied at 2-2, Gator reliever Corey Stump walked Duke leadoff hitter Jeff Kremer and then  surrendered a triple to catcher Mike Rosenfeld that gave the Blue Devils a 3-2 lead. With the infield in with one out, Gator second baseman Casey Turgeon mishandled a hard ground ball, allowing Rosenfeld to score.

The Gators got a run in the eighth on two singles and a misplayed pickoff attempt but could not rally for the win.

Florida will start freshman right handed pitcher Tucker Simpson in today’s second game of a three game series; you can hear the game live at 3:55pm on ESPN Radio 850/900.