Nelson Maldonado’s two home runs and a solid start from Logan Shore led the Florida Gators (23-1, 4-0 SEC) to its 17th consecutive win in 2016 with a 12-5 victory over the Kentucky Wildcats (15-7, 2-2 SEC) on the road.
Florida went quietly in the first two innings and Shore found trouble in the bottom of the second. Gunnar McNeill started the frame with a single to left center. Shore walked Zach Reks before a great defensive play from Pete Alonso got McNeill out at third on an attempted sacrifice bunt by Kole Cottam. Kentucky made up for the failed sacrifice attempt when Tristan Pompey singled home Reks to open the scoring.
Florida picked up its starter in the top of the third. Freshman Nelson Maldonado took a fastball up and away down the right field line and over the short wall in right field for his third home run of the season. Jonathan India doubled up the middle to keep the movement going and moved to third on a wild pitch. Buddy Reed brought India home with a single up the chute and scored Dalton Guthrie, who was hit by a pitch before Reed’s single. Guthrie scored to make it 3-0.
After a 1-2-3, two-strikeout inning by Shore, Jeremy Vasquez walked to start the top of the fourth. That brought Nelson Maldonado, who began his freshman season hitting just 2-26 to the plate. Maldonado took a hanging curve ball the other way for his second home run on the night and fourth of the season. The two-run shot gave Florida a 5-1 advantage, but Kentucky refused to go quietly.
Florida added two more runs in the top of the sixth before Logan Shore ran into trouble. Shore hit Storm Wilson to start the inning, gave up a single to Evan White and walked JaVon Shelby to load the bases with no outs. Designated hitter Gunnar McNeill drove in two with a single through the left side and chased Shore from the game. Kirby Snead replaced Shore and earned two quick outs, first a strikeout and then Mike Rivera picked Shelby off at second, but Snead surrendered another run Luke Becker drove home McNeill with a single.
When the smoke cleared, Florida’s comfortable 7-1 lead had shriveled to a less palatable 7-4 margin.
The score remained the same into the ninth inning, when the Gators unloaded.
Deacon Liput walked and stole second. A pitch hit Rivera and Ryan Larson was sent in to pinch hit for Jeremy Vasquez. An excellent bunter, everyone in the stadium expected Larson to sacrifice the runners over, so when he squared around to show bunt, the infield started to cheat in. Larson pulled his bat back, and executed a slash through the left side to score Liput and move Rivera to third. Maldonado loaded the bases with his third hit of the night; a single and freshman third baseman Jonathan India cleared the bases with a triple. Kentucky waved the white flag, bringing in designated hitter Gunnar McNeill to throw and save the bullpen. India scored on a throwing error after Dalton Guthrie flied out to right and Florida’s lead was back up to 12-4.
Michael Byrne, who had pitched just two innings this season, came in to close the game. Byrne earned two quick outs before a walk, a hit batter and a double gave Kentucky a run. Byrne settled down, striking out Shelby to end the game.
The win is Florida’s 17th consecutive win, one shy of the school record of 18, set by the 2012 team.
A.J. Puk will take the mound on Saturday as Florida attempts to tie the record and take the series against Kentucky at 2 pm.