OFFICIAL: BASEBALL vs. Duke, Friday 2/15, FINAL Duke 4-3

[Gatorgal04]

FINALLY! The 2013 campaign begins Friday, February 15, 7:00 pm, vs. the Duke Blue Devils at The Mac.

Duke ended 2012 with a record of 21-34/9-21. They were not featured in the post season. I checked on their website to see what the pre-season news was and noticed it says “Duke will open the 2013 season at perennial power Florida. . .” Good verbiage.

There’s a blurb on there about the First Pitch Hot Stove Classic dinner that was held 1/26. No other news on the team. Their roster has 3 seniors, 11 juniors, 12 sophs and 6 freshmen. Seven of their players are from Florida.

Pre-game notes courtesy of Gatorzone here: http://www.gatorzone.com/baseball/st...0215190000.pdf

TV: SUN
Radio: AM 850/900 http://www.wruf.com/
Gatorvision Online: http://www.gatorvision.tv/liveEvents...DB_OEM_ID=6500
Gametracker: http://gatorzone.cstv.com/gametracke...&startschool=&

Weather: 59 Deg at the start and 52 at the end of the game. 0% chance of precip. 5 mph NW wind = blowing out to center field.

Gator starter: Jr RHP Jonathon Crawford, 2012 stats 6-2/3.13
Duke starter: So LHP Trent Stewart (otherwise known as . . . Earl), 2012 stats 4-8/4.28

It will be nice to get that last game off the Gatorzone site. I mean really, do you have to show the last loss of the season for 8 months?

Go Gators!

[gatorbogey]

TAKE me out to the ball - game,
TAKE! me out with the crowd,
buy me some PEANUTS! and CrackerJack,
I don't care if I ever get back,
For it's Root, Root-Root for the GATORS!
if they don't win, it's a shame (That's on you, BLUE!)
for it's ONE,
Two
THREE strikes you're Out,
at the ole ball-game...

[DoubleDown11]

Duke had a first round draft pick anchoring their rotation last year, and they still weren't any good. This is a perfect opening series. It's a recognizeable name from a major conference, but it's a team the Gators should be able to handle and gives them an opportunity to break in some young guys.

[lostgator]

I can't wait for the game. I was in Omaha last year and I am ready for a new beginning! Am I recalling incorrectly or in past years did Gatorvision show the season opener video for free? The reason I am asking is that I have subscribed for the past 2 years only for the baseball and my "reception" has been poor. It seems that others have had no problems so it might be just on my end. I would like to try it out this year before taking the plunge and buying it. If my internet connection is hopelessly slow then there is no benefit in making the purchase. Anyway, Go Gators!! Just 4 more days!

[Gatorgal04]

I looked at the Gatorvision site, but didn't see anything about any free games. There is a place where you can sign up to get an email alert when they offer a freebie.

See the bottom of this page: http://www.gatorvision.tv/

[scgator_8586]

Ready to get this year started. A sweep would be a nice way to get this season off the ground.

[gator7_5]

First game on the tuube! nice.

[DoubleDown11]

My channel guide isn't showing the game on SunSports. Hopefully that's just an error.

[TheBoss]

Georgia claims an extra football win over the Gators by counting a 1904 game played against one of the group of colleges that were consolidated into the University of FL in 1905. That's a little weird, but the curs are weird in general.

While the UF media releases say that Duke holds a 3-1 series lead, Dure reports the record as 4-1. In this case, I'll give Duke credit for an honest assertion. They're claiming a win in 1921, before Duke became known as Duke. In those days, it was called Trinity College until the Duke family paid them with cigarette $$$ to change the name. UF's baseball records do list the 4-3 loss to Trinity.

[gators4life]

Pissed I'm missing it! Go Gators!

[Gatorgal04]

Duke lineup:

#26 Istler LF
#32 Kremer RF
#15 Rosenfeld C
#21 Marconcini DH
#41 Betts 3B
#13 Perez 1B
#10 LaBruna SS
#3 D'Alessandro CF
#4 Lumpa 2B

#20 Swart P

[Gatorgal04]

Gator Lineup:

#8 Bader LF
#12 Martin SS
#2 Turgeon 2B
#30 Ramjit 1B
#17 Gushue C
#16 Shafer DH
#11 Tobias 3B
#26 Reid RF
#20 Dent CF

#23 Crawford P

[321tsc]

Go Gators!

[321tsc]

For comparison sake, here's last year's opening day lineup vs. Cal State Fullerton. A 7-2 Gator win on February 17, 2012.

Nolan Fontana SS - 2nd round draft pick
Daniel Pigott LF- 9th round draft pick
Preston Tucker RF - 7th round draft pick
Mike Zunino C - 1st round draft pick
Brian Johnson 1B -1st round draft pick
Taylor Gushue DH
Tyler Thompson CF
Josh Tobias 3B
Casey Turgeon 2B

Hudson Randall SP - 7th round draft pick

Huddy pitched 5.2 innings. Paco Rodriguez pitched 2.1 innings for the win. Paco was a 2nd round draft pick by the LA Dodgers and was the FIRST 2012 DRAFTEE TO MAKE IT TO THE MAJOR LEAGUES. Greg Larson, a 20th round draft pick, pitched the ninth inning to close it out.

Where does the time go by?

[g8torphan]

Go Gators!
Wish I was at the Mac tonight, but alas I'm home with sick little one.
Probably won't make a game this weekend, but I'll be there plenty this year for sure!

The 3 yo just asked if we could watch them warm-up on TV :LOL:

[gators4life]

Does the gatorvision feed sound messed up for anyone? Bunch of static in the feed.

[Gatorgal04]

Top of the 1st

Istler goes down swinging (after a throw to 1st)

[Gatorgal04]

No one on

Kremer flies out to left. Heck of a catch!

[Gatorgal04]

No one on / 2 out

Rosenfeld doubles on a liner past 3B

[Gatorgal04]

Man on 2B / 2 outs

Marconcini goes down swinging

0/1/0/1
Tied at 0