No. 13 Florida baseball rebounded from its Opening Day loss to UAB, sweeping Saturday’s doubleheader to secure the series win over the Blazers. The Gators run-ruled UAB 11–0 in seven innings in game one and took game two, 6–1.
The Gators recorded 25 hits including 15 extra base hits and five home runs across 14 trips to the plate.
GATORS SET THE TONE EARLY
Game one was nearly over before it began. After a scoreless first inning from RHP Aidan King, Florida sent 14 batters to the plate in the bottom half, erupting for nine runs on 10 hits.
Kyle Jones, Karson Bowen and Cade Kurland all recorded two hits in the first frame, while Kurland and Blake Cyr homered.
Cyr added Florida’s 10th run in the next inning with his second homer of the game, a solo shot to left.
“Our guys did a really good job of sticking to an approach against their starting pitcher,” Tom Slater said postgame. They game planned well for him and really had a good approach at the plate, so that was a lot of fun to watch.”
King cruised through six innings, spinning six scoreless frames while allowing just three hits. The sophomore right-hander was efficient, throwing only 78 pitches — 53 for strikes. He didn’t generate much swing-and-miss, recording just four strikeouts, three looking, but his command and efficiency were key factors in Saturday’s doubleheader sweep.
LIMITING FREE PASSES / PITCHING SHINES
After giving up a discouraging ten free passes in Florida’s 9-7 opening day loss to UAB, the pitching staff bounced back, issuing just one walk across 16 combined innings. The result? The Blazers managed only a single run. Florida challenged its pitchers Friday night, and they delivered.
“We just played a lot of innings today and we only walked one hitter,” Salter said. “Aidan King was outstanding in game one.”
Redshirt freshman RHP Schuyler Sandford made his collegiate debut in the 7th inning of game one, slamming the door shut with a 1-2-3 inning and two strikeouts.
RHP Cooper Walls, Florida’s Sunday starter, took control of game two, tossing 5.1 innings of one run ball, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out four.
“Wow. He induced a lot of soft contact. Game two, talk about setting the tone, Coop goes out there and it’s a lot of heavy sink, east-west guy,” Slater said on Walls.
After Walls’ exit, transfer LHP Ernesto Lugo-Canchola took the mound in the 6th inning with the game tying run at the plate. The 6’5 lefty retired all eight batters he faced and picked up two strikeouts, bridging the gap for RHP Joshua Whritenour in the 9th.
“Ernie did a heck of a job coming in behind him, those were really big innings he pitched for us right there to give us a chance to add on to our lead,” Slater said on Lugo-Canchola.
With only five left-handers on the roster, Lugo-Canchola will be counted on for high-leverage innings this season. He’s off to a strong start in Gainesville.
Welcome to the SEC, Cash Strayer
The freshman outfielder made his Gators debut in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader, recording three hits in the 11-0 victory. Strayer earned a spot in the game two lineup, adding two more hits, including his first career home run in the bottom of the 8th to extend Florida’s lead to 6-1.
“He can really hit,” Slater said on Strayer. Cash is just another guy from plant that can really swing the bat. There’s a long list of them. Another guy that had a really good fall, really good preseason work here. We knew we were gonna play him today. He’s just a good player.”
“What’s fun with him is his ability to use the whole field. He drove I think a double and a homer oppo today. He stays on the ball really well.”
Strayer went 5-8 at the plate on Saturday with three extra base hits, one home run, and two runs scored.
DOUBLES DAY FOR KYLE JONES
Joining Strayer in a 5-8 day at the plate was redshirt sophomore outfielder Kyle Jones, who recorded four doubles on Saturday — two in each game. Jones led off all three games of the series with a double, setting the tone for Florida’s offense.
“Kyle is doing a great job for us in that leadoff role, obviously anytime he can get on base, especially with law dog (Brendan Lawson) hitting behind him, that’s just outstanding,” Slater said on Jones.
“KJ was in a really good spot all weekend long, swung the bat really, really well. He’s worked really hard.”
UP NEXT
The Florida Gators (2-1) travel to DeLand, Florida, on Tuesday for the first of two midweek games against Stetson. Wednesday’s matchup will take place in Gainesville.
Next weekend, Florida takes on a talented Kennesaw State ballclub in a three-game series at Condron Family Ballpark.
Head coach Kevin O’Sullivan will return from his three-game suspension on Tuesday.