After weather in the northeast kept La Salle from traveling to Gainesville for a weekend series, the fifth-ranked Florida Gators get back to action tonight against the second-ranked Florida State Seminoles at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.
The Gators (5-0) will start sophomore right-handed pitcher Anthony DeSclafani, who will make his second start of the season. In his first start, the Freehold, N.J., native went 4-1/3 innings, allowing no runs or walks and four hits. He also struck out four hitters. DeSclafani didn’t throw an inning against Florida State in their three matchups last season.
The Seminoles will counter with junior right-hander Geoff Parker. In his first start of the season, Parker went four innings, allowing five runs, five hits and three walks against Georgia State. He also allowed three doubles. Parker made appearances in two of the three meetings between the teams last season, combined for six innings, allowing three hits and three runs, although only two were earned.
Since all three games were cancelled over the weekend, Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan can use anyone on the pitching. Redshirt sophomore right-hander Tommy Toledo will be the only pitcher who isn’t available since he is slated to start the series opener against the Miami Hurricanes in Coral Gables Friday.
In 23-1/3 innings this season, Florida starting pitchers have only allowed two earned runs. When Siena broke through for two runs against Toledo last Thursday night, it broke a streak of 22-1/3 scoreless innings for the starting pitchers to start the season. The starters have combined for 21 strikeouts, four walks and have give up only one extra-base.
The Florida offense has been led by leadoff hitter Matt den Dekker. The senior center fielder is currently riding a career high 14-game hitting streak that carries over from last year. He has also had multiple hits in the first five games this season. den Dekker is batting .500 (12-24) with a single and a double. He has knocked in five runs on the season, also going 2-2 in the stolen base department.
Josh Adams has forced teams to pitch to Preston Tucker because of his team-high .560 on-base percentage. The junior second baseman hit two home runs in his first three at-bats of the season and currently boasts a .389 batting average.
Tucker has struggled when teams pitch to him so far this season. After being named a Preseason All-American, he is currently hitting .300 (6-20) with zero extra base hits after knocking 15 home runs last season. He also doesn’t have an RBI through five games, after setting the school record with 85 RBI last season. It’s rare that any hitter can be deemed as struggling with the batting average Tucker currently has, but he hasn’t been hitting the ball hard this season.
Freshman Austin Maddox has stepped in to give the fearsome presence in the middle of the batting order. He hit a home run on his first collegiate swing and hit another during his second game. Though he has been in the lineup as the designated hitter for every game but one this year, Maddox is the prototypical cleanup hitter with his 6-3, 230-pound frame.
While the Gators have scored 42 runs in five games (8.4 per game), the Seminoles have scored 67 runs in six games (11.2 per game). Florida State hasn’t scored fewer than 11 runs in a game this season.
Gainesville High School graduate Tyler Holt is the spark plug to the Florida State offense. The junior center fielder has a .421 batting average and a .571 on-base percentage. As good as his on-base percentage is, it is seventh best among the projected nine batters that will start Tuesday.
Freshman second baseman Devon Travis was supposed to be a starter this season, but a wrist injury forced him to have surgery that will keep him out a few more weeks. This forced Justin Gonzalez into the lineup at second base, and he is currently hitting .538 (7-13). Gonzalez’s emergence also allowed reigning ACC Player of the Week Sherman Johnson to move to third base, sending Stuart Tapley to the designated hitter’s spot. This has improved the athleticism and fielding ability of their infield.
Mike McGee, Stephen Cardullo and Holt were supposed to be the three key returners to the Seminoles offense. While their statistics are impressive right now, three of the top four batting averages come from players who are full-time starters for the first year. Johnson is hitting .476 with two home runs and a team-high 14 RBI.
James Ramsey is the right fielder this year, hitting .500 with nine RBI and has worked a team-high eight walks.
Tuesday’s game will give the Gators an opportunity for their first 6-0 start since 2002. They started the last two seasons at 5-0 before losing a game to the Miami Hurricanes both times.