In three matchups this season against FSU, the Florida baseball team outscored the Seminoles 15-2. The Gators completed the season sweep of the Noles Tuesday night with an 8-0 victory. This was the first time since 1989 that the Orange have Blue have earned a shutout in Tallahassee.
Florida starter Danny Young has been a thorn in the side of the Seminoles, pitching 11.2 innings this season against FSU without allowing a run. Young went five innings before being replaced by Justin Shafer who kept the Noles scoreless in 1.1 innings of work. Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan continued to exercise the bullpen, using four relievers in all.
Young says his defense helped him out.
“It seems like every time I go out there my defense makes plays. I somehow make a couple of pitches. Scoring first is always good. It’s always an advantage to have a scoring cushion. I love playing in places like this. Everyone is into it and it’s a fun atmosphere.”
Offensively the Gators teed off in the fifth inning, snapping a scoreless ball game with an RBI single from John Sternagel and a three run homer from Casey Turgeon. Turgeon finished the day with two hits and a team high four RBIs and every Gator starter except Pete Alonso had a hit on the night.
Florida added a run in the sixth when Braden Mattson scored on a wild pitch and scored three more runs in the eighth to secure the win.
Gator coach Kevin O’Sullivan knows this was an important win.
“I’m just proud of our team and the way we played tonight after having a tough weekend in Kentucky. To give up 36 runs and 50 hits was tough. It was as tough a weekend as we had, pitching wise, in a long, long time. To come out here and shut out a Florida State team that is very good is a heck of an accomplishment.”
The Gators remain undefeated against top five teams on the season, and will head to No. 5 South Carolina this weekend in a best of three battle for the top spot in the SEC East.
To hear audio from the game, click below.