Behind 7.1 strong innings from senior left-hander Stephen Locke and a four-run third inning, top-seeded Florida (41-20) downed second-seeded Miami (Fla.) (37-21), 8-2, in a winner’s bracket game at the NCAA Gainesville Regional on Saturday night at McKethan Stadium. Locke (5-2) held the Hurricanes to six singles and two runs (zero earned), with three strikeouts and a walk. The southpaw was supported by a balanced offense that totaled 10 hits, three doubles and a solo homer by junior Jonathan Pigott, who was 2-for-5 and scored twice.
The Hurricanes will meet third-seeded Jacksonville (37-21) in an elimination game tomorrow at 1 p.m., with the survivor needing to defeat the Gators twice to advance to next weekend’s NCAA Super Regional. Florida will face tomorrow afternoon’s winner at 6:30 p.m.
With his RBI single in the third, Preston Tucker tied Ryan Shealy’s 2002 mark of 80 RBI for most RBI in a single season in school history. During his five-game postseason tear this season, Tucker is 9-for-20 (.450) with nine RBI, five runs, two home runs and two doubles.
In his 11 starts at McKethan Stadium since the start of the 2008 season, Locke is 8-0 with a 2.25 ERA, allowing just 17 earned runs in 68.0 innings pitched.
Photo Gallery: UF baseball vs. Miami, NCAA Regionals, 5/30/09
DIRECTORY OF GATOR COUNTRY PHOTO GALLERIES