There have been more than 100 Florida Gators baseball teams in the history of the school but none have started a season like the 2020 Gators.
Florida beat FAU 7-3 Tuesday night in West Palm Beach to start the season 12-0, the best start to a season in school history.
Florida got a quick start Tuesday night. Jud Fabian singled to start the game and scored from first when Austin Langworthy doubled to left-center. Kirby McMullen grounded out but the Gators’ patient approach, which has aided them all season, kicked in. Kendrick Calilao singled home Langworthy, before Jacob Young and Cory Acton worked full-count walks. Kris Armstrong was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make the score 3-0 in the first frame.
FAU battled back. Garrett Evans singled with one out and was driven home by a long home run off of B.J. Murray’s bat.
The scoring wasn’t done yet.
After a 1-2-3 inning for Florida, the Owls got back after Gator starter Jordan Butler. Jackson Wenstrom started the inning with a leadoff triple and scored one batter later off of Wilfredo Alvarez’s single through the right side.
The Gators answered back, reclaiming the lead in the third. Three consecutive one-out singles from Calilao, Young, and Acton, with Acton’s single plating Calilao. A double steal gave Florida two runners in scoring position and proved beneficial when Young was able to score on a groundout three pitches later to give Florida a 5-3 advantage.
David Luethje took over for Butler in the third inning for the Gators. The sophomore right-hander allowed one hit but stranded the runner in his first inning of action and would pitch 2.2 innings against the Owls, allowing two hits, no runs and struck out three.
Luethje got into trouble in the fifth inning after a two-out double. Kevin O’Sullivan turned to Christian Scott and the sophomore, much like his outing on Sunday against Tory, didn’t disappoint. Scott got a strikeout to end the fifth frame and bridged the Gators all the way to the ninth with 3.1 innings of scoreless pitching and five strikeouts. Scott hasn’t allowed a run in his last 6.1 innings of work. Scott continues to be impressive out of the bullpen for the Gators, who will look to get him back in action this weekend.
The Gators tacked on two insurance runs in the eighth inning. Kris Armstrong and Josh Rivera both singled to start the frame. Cal Greenfield attempted a sacrifice bunt but pushed it too far and Armstrong was thrown out at third. Jud Fabian walked to load the bases, Rivera scored on a Langworthy fielder’s choice, and Greenfield scored on a throwing error.
Ben Specht took the mound in the ninth inning and pitched around a little bit of drama to earn his third save of the season.
Florida will be back on the field in Gainesville looking for a 13-0 start with the visiting FAMU Rattlers in town.