The FAU Owls (6-2) struck first but an impromptu sprinkler shower at Roger Dean Stadium sparked the No. 2 Florida Gators (7-1) offense and the Orange and Blue were able to out-slug FAU for a 10-8 win.
The Owls were the home team on Tuesday night as the two teams met at the spring training home of the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals. The Owls attacked first with a three run outburst in the second inning.
The Gators would get one run back in the third before really getting to work in the fourth inning. Josh Tobias and John Sternagel (combined to go 1-for-9 on the night) were retired to start the side. Ryan Larson doubled and was brought around by leadoff man Dalton Guthrie one batter later. Buddy Reed — who’s swinging the hottest bat on the team right now doubled to center and was later brought in by Richie Martin’s single. Florida had claimed the lead on four-straight two-out hits.
The Gators added three more runs in the sixth before FAU stormed back to tie the game at seven with four runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame. The score remained tied until the eighth inning.
Reed led the Gators off with a double and scored when Martin reached first on a throwing error by the shortstop. Florida would make FAU pay for the error taking on two more runs to extend their lead 10-7. FAU would come back and notch a run in the bottom half of the frame but Taylor Lewis was able to come in and shut down the Owls in the ninth to earn his second save of the season.
The win gives Florida a 21-7 edge all-time against FAU and give Florida some momentum heading into their three-game set with Stony Brook (2-4) this weekend at McKethan Stadium.
Post game Notes
- After starting the season going just 1-for-14 (.071) against Rhode Island, Reed continued his hot streak and is up to .316 on the season. He has 11 hits in the past five games with an. 458 (11-for-24) average during that span.
- Freshman JJ Schwarz is up to 12 RBI on the season, second on the team behind Harrison Bader’s 15.
- With two hits on the night, Dalton Guthrie has recorded a hit in seven of the first eight games, with three multi-hit games.
- Martin raised his average to .296 after a three-hit night. He entered the game with a .217 average.
- Mike Vinson earned his first win of the season throwing one inning of no-hit baseball.
- At 7-1, this is the best start Kevin O’Sullivan and the Florida Gators have had since their run to the College World Series in 2011.