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The Florida Gator baseball team edged Alabama in a showdown from the mound, 2-1 on Friday night. In the first of a three-game weekend series with the Tide (19-30, 5-20 SEC), the Gators (36-14, 17-8 SEC) were able to pull off a win with just three hits.
It was Florida’s eighth SEC win in a row and it keeps them tied with Mississippi State for the best record in the SEC.
The pitcher’s duel held hitters at bay, with Florida’s Alex Faedo and Alabama’s Jake Walters combining for 19 strikeouts on the night.
Alex Faedo is done, missed it in the 6th, but Alex Faedo crossed the century mark in strikeouts for the season. #Gators #MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/3G6huO7zTz
— Nick de la Torre (@NickdelaTorreGC) May 13, 2017
The Crimson Tide was able to score on just the two hits they managed of off Faedo in the first six innings. Kyle Kaufman was brought around after his single by a two-bagger by Cobie Vance. But it was all they would manage on the night.
Florida didn’t answer back offensively until the seventh. One of those hits was JJ Schwarz’s homer over the left field wall to tie up the game.
Outstanding pitching, great defense and just enough offense.#Gators got it done on Friday night. #GatorsWin
HIGHLIGHTS 👇 pic.twitter.com/5zyY43foEp
— Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) May 13, 2017
Faedo pitched seven innings, finishing with a final line of only three hits and one run allowed with eight strikeouts.
In the final frame of the game, the Gators offense was able to muster just enough to get a runner around to home for the win. It was a missed pick-off attempt by the Alabama pitcher that turned into an error and allowed Dalton Guthrie to second. Guthrie led off the inning with a single and moved over to second on the errant throw.
Schwarz was intentionally walked and then another misstep by the Alabama pitcher was costly. This time a wild pitch moved Guthrie just 90 feet away from being the winning run and Nelson Maldanado made the mistake costly when he hit a sacrifice fly to score Guthrie.
Florida closer Michael Byrne was brought into the game in the eighth inning and he got the win in relief to move to 2-4 on the season. He pitched two scoreless innings.
The Series Continues
The two teams will face off again on Saturday at 7 p.m. and on Sunday at 4 p.m. You can hear Saturday’s game on ESPN 98.1 FM/850 AM WRUF and Sunday’s game on Country 103.7 The Gator.
