The fifth ranked Florida Gator baseball team beat the number six Kentucky Wildcats 5-3 in Lexington last night. Florida is now only a game and a half one game back of South Carolina for first place in the SEC, while Kentucky sits half a game behind the Gamecocks.
Florida starting pitcher Hudson Randall improved to 5-1 on the season pitching 6.2 innings, giving up three runs while striking out four and only walking one. Junior reliever Steven “Paco” Rodriguez pitched the final 2.1 innings allowing only two hits and giving up no runs.
The Gator offense went to work right at the start with Preston Tucker hitting a solo homer on a 1-2 pitch in the first inning. Tucker went 2-for-4 in the game, adding an RBI single in the third. Florida also received RBI’s from junior Brian Johnson and freshman Justin Shafer.
Tonight’s matchup will feature Florida sophomore starter Karsten Whitson and Kentucky junior lefty Jerad Grundy. Gators head coach Kevin O’Sullivan says Whitson pitched well in his bullpen session earlier in the week and that he is going to need his relievers to step up this weekend.
You can catch tonight’s game on our sister station, Country 103.7 The Gator, starting at 7.