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The Florida Gator baseball team downs Jacksonville 8-4 on Tuesday night in Gainesville as the Gators win all three games played against the Dolphins this year. It is also Florida’s sixth straight midweek victory and their fifth victory in six games.
What Went Down
Nolan Crisp got the start on the mound for the Gators and earned the win for the game but Jacksonville got on the board in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Angel Camacho to score Ruben Someillan.
But the Gators would respond right away as lead off man Brady McConnell homered to left to tie things up and later Wil Dalton singled to drive in Austin Langworthy to make it a 2-1 game. In all, Florida would score five first inning runs.
McConnell keeps mashing!! His 8th homer of the season ties the game.
Then Wil Dalton makes it 2-1 with a RBI single to left. #Gators still have the bases loaded, nobody out in the first.
Watch Now: https://t.co/ra1OM61MeS pic.twitter.com/qxPUZ17OqA
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) April 16, 2019
Cory Acton was able to drive in two of the runs while Jacob Young plated the other run of the inning with a base hit.
Both teams didn’t score until the sixth inning when the Gators were able to find success as an RBI single from Jud Fabian would make it 6-1.
After four scoreless innings, the #Gators add another run on a RBI single from Jud Fabian.
Ben Specht is on the mound to start the seventh. pic.twitter.com/uPT4bsNzoK
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) April 17, 2019
Florida Pitching Continues to Improve
The trio of Crisp, Justin Alintoff and Ben Specht combined to throw 6.1 innings, allowing seven hits and just one run. However, Kris Armstrong would give up a single and two home runs in relief in the eighth inning that would end his night after allowing three runs and recording just two outs, as the Dolphins pulled to within two runs of Florida at 6-4.
T8 | UF 6 JU 4
McKethan Magic for Cory Garrastazu!
He homers for the third time in his career in Gainesville, and the Dolphins are within two!#JUPhinsUp
— Jacksonville Baseball (@JUBaseball) April 17, 2019
Nick Pogue would replace Armstrong to earn the first save of his career. Florida would use their final at bat in the eighth inning to extend the lead as a pair of walks gave Jacob Young an at bat with two on and two out and he delivered a two run single to give the Gators some much needed insurance runs. Young went 3 for 4 on the night with three RBI.
That's the ballgame!
Nick Pogue finishes it off for his first save. Jacob Young went 3-for-4 with 3 RBI in the game.#GoGators pic.twitter.com/M8kPRWPVjE
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) April 17, 2019
Gator coach Kevin O’Sullivan praised Young’s performance after the game.
What’s Next
Jack Leftwich who has been dealing with a blister, threw a bullpen today after missing his last two starts and will be available against LSU as O’Sullivan spoke on his prognosis as well as Nelson Maldonado being available.
The Gators will hit the road this week for a series against LSU in Baton Rouge. All three games will be televised with Thursday and Friday being broadcast on SEC Network and Saturday’s finale on ESPN2. You can always listen to Gator baseball on ESPN 98.1 FM/850 AM WRUF all season long as well!
