The Florida Gators came out with a level of intensity and fire that even a 94-minute rain delay couldn’t damper. A 2-1 extra inning loss on Thursday night stung and the Gators (35-6, 12-5 SEC) were out for revenge on Friday.
Fueled by a complete game shutout from Friday night ace Logan Shore, Florida posted five runs in the first two innings, attempting five steals in the very first frame, on their way to a 6-0 win, evening the series with Georgia (21-19, 7-10 SEC).
The first inning started quickly with Dalton Guthrie reaching on a throwing error and Deacon Liput walking. With one out Florida successfully attempted a double steal — the first of two in the inning. After Pete Alonso walked Buddy Reed drove in the first run of the game with a bloop single into right field. Jonathan India laced a single up the middle to score Liput and Alonso three pitches later. India was thrown out at second on a double steal that left Reed as Florida’s only runner on third.
Georgia starter Connor Jones’ delivery is slow. With just the runner on third, Georgia’s 6-2 lefty got onto the rubber and delivered a strike from the windup. Third base coach Craig Bell looked over to Florida’s dugout and got the affirmative nod he wanted from head coach Kevin O’Sullivan. With an 0-1 count, Reed was off on Jones’ first move.
“It was a set play,” Reed said after the game. “I got the sign and I timed it right.”
Reed slid inside, twisting and contorting his body around Skyler Weber’s attempted tag, adding the Gators’ fourth run of the inning and igniting the dugout and home crowd.
“You steal home and it’s executed. The dugout gets excited and the fans get excited and it’s probably what we needed, to be honest,” O’sullivan said. “It’s a nice shot in the arm.”
After Florida needed six pitchers to complete 12 innings on Friday, the Gators turned to Shore to save the bullpen for the series finale. The junior responded by facing the minimum 27 batters in his complete game. Shore allowed just three base runners. The leadoff batter Nick King singled, but was caught stealing. Keegan McGovern broke a streak of 11-consecutive Bulldogs retired with a single to lead off the fifth, but a 4-6-3 double play ended the frame. Shore walked Stephen Wrenn on four pitches with one out in the eighth only to turn around and earn another inning-ending double play.
“That’s something I’ve never done,” Shore said of facing the minimum in a complete game. “Obviously that makes it a little more special for me, but I couldn’t do it without the guys behind me. There were four or five incredible plays behind me.”
This was Shore’s 13th consecutive decision that ended in a win, a school record.
Florida will send Alex Faedo to the mound for the series rubber match on Sunday at 2 p.m.