Gators Use Long Ball To Top State 8-2 In Series Opener
May 13, 2005 | Baseball
Official Game Statistics (in pdf)
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Junior right-hander Bryan Ball pitched acareer-longest 8-1/3 innings and the Gators scored seven runs on threehome runs Friday night as No. 10 Florida (33-17, 16-9) registered an 8-2win over Mississippi State (32-17, 11-13 SEC).
Ball gave up a run in the third and was charged with another after heleft the game one out into the ninth inning. He allowed two runs oneight hits, walked five and struck out six, notching his first win sincetopping Mississippi March 18.
Florida struck for three runs in the first inning. A walk, a one-outsingle by Adam Davis and a Matt LaPorta blast to left, his 20th of theseason, staked UF starter Bryan Ball to an early 3-0 lead.
State, which loaded the bases but failed to score in the first, punchedacross a run in the third to cut the lead to 3-1. Jeffrey Rea opened theinning with a double to left, took third on Ed Easley's chop single overthe first baseman, and scored when Brad Jones grounded into a doubleplay.
Florida expanded its lead in the fifth when the first five Gatorsreached safely. Gavin Dickey opened the frame with his third home run ofthe season off the scoreboard in right field. Davis followed with asingle, Matt LaPorta drew a walk, and Brian LeClerc drove Davis homewith a sharply-hit single to right. The Gators loaded the bases withanother hit, but Johnson worked out of the jam, striking out BrianJeroloman and getting Justin Tordi to ground into an inning-endingdouble play.
The Gators added a three-run, two out home run by Brian Jeroloman toput the game away. Justin Pigott, who replaced Johnson to start thesixth, retired the three batters he faced in the inning and got thelead-off hitter in the eighth. Saunders Ramsey replaced Pigottt,sandwiching a pair of singles around a strikeout before Jerolomanunloaded his fifth home run of the season.
State added its final run in the eighth when Brian LaNinfa walked,advanced on a single by Michael Rutledge, and Rea delivered a single toleft. UF relief ace Connor Falkenbach, the third Gator pitching in theinning, gave up a two-out pinch-hit single by Joseph McCaskill beforeretiring Thomas Berkery on a called third strike to end the game.
Johnson (3-6) took the loss, charged with five runs on eight hits withfive strikeouts.
Matt LaPorta went 2-for-3 and with Brian Jeroloman drove in three runsto lead Florida. Freshman Ed Easley paced all hitters with three hits,all singles.
The Bulldogs left 11 runners stranded on base, seven in scoringposition.
Florida and MSU continue their weekend series Saturday at 3 p.m. CDT.
