King of the Hill: Aidan King Silences Owls in Florida Baseball Rout
Aidan King ruled the hill Saturday night with six scoreless innings as Florida defeated Kennesaw State 11-0 in seven innings at Condron Family Ballpark.
The Gators (6-1) wasted no time at the plate, scoring four runs in the first inning against the Owls (3-2). Five of Florida’s first six hitters entered the game batting over .400, and the offense carried that momentum early.Center fielder Kyle Jones opened the game with a double.
Sophomore Brendan Lawson followed with a 378-foot drive to right-center field that fell two feet short of a home run, allowing him to slide into third with an RBI triple. Three consecutive singles loaded the bases before Blake Cyr added a sacrifice fly to center field and designated hitter Jacob Kendall delivered an RBI double, giving Florida a 4-0 lead.
The Gators continued to add on in the second inning, aided in part by Kennesaw State’s defense. With one out, Cyr hit a ground ball that went under the glove of second baseman Wesley Alig, allowing Karson Bowen to score and extending the inning.
After surrendering six runs on nine hits in 1 1/3 innings, sophomore Ty Bayer exited the game with runners in scoring position. Left-hander Ryan Gold entered but hit the first batter he faced, then allowed a single to senior Sam Miller that drove in two runs and pushed the lead to 8-0.
“That’s the key to success, not waiting till the third or fourth inning before we get things rolling,” Jones said. “Getting out ahead early gives our pitcher some breathing room.”
Florida’s momentum continued in the fifth. With a runner on second, Owls shortstop Shamaar McDuffie hit a ball down the right-field line. King raced off the mound, and his throw to first base deflected off the runner’s shoulder and into the glove of first baseman Ethan Surowiec for the out.
“No, that’s the first time,” King said when asked if a play like that has ever happened before. “I don’t know if I’ll ever do that again… it was pretty sick.”
King (6 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 5 K) exited after six scoreless innings.
“I could bring a chair out there,” Jones said about King’s performance. “He’s unbelievable. He’s really, really good at baseball.”
After pitching 2 1/3 innings Friday, Caden McDonald entered in the fifth with runners on first and second and an 11-0 lead. The utility player, who allowed three hits and three runs in Florida’s 9-3 win in Friday’s Game 1, was looking to rebound. He recorded his first career strikeout from the batter’s box in his second career at-bat, swinging and missing on a 2-2 count. McDonald has 34 career strikeouts for Florida as a pitcher.
Schuyler Sandford pitched the seventh inning, closing out the game under the 10-run rule with three quick outs, including a strikeout of Owls catcher James McGee to end it.
The win clinched the series for Florida following Friday’s victory. The Gators will seek a sweep Sunday with Cooper Moss (1-0) scheduled to start. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. ET.
Category: Feature Sports News, Gators Baseball, Uncategorized
