Jeroloman's Home Run Lifts Gators To Doubleheader Split With Bulldogs
May 06, 2006 | Baseball
* Official Statistics
* Official Statistics (PDF)
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Brian Jeroloman's three-run home run gave Florida an 8-0 fourth-inning lead Saturday afternoon and the Gators (25-25, 7-17 SEC) held on for a 9-6 win over No. 21 Mississippi State (33-16, 11-12 SEC). The win gave Florida a split of a Saturday twinbill at Dudy Noble Field and blocked a season-first SEC series sweep by MSU.
Jeroloman's blast, his fifth of the year, capped a six-run Gator burst in the fourth inning off MSU starter Aaron Weatherford (4-2). The freshman right-hander gave up two runs in the second when David Cash doubled to left and was touched for six runs on six hits when the Gators batted through the order in the fourth. Gavin Dickey doubled in two runs to open the inning's scoring, an infield groundout scored another, and after Matt Gaski and Adam Davis reached with two-out base hits, Jeroloman delivered the inning-capping home run.
Junior left-hander Steven Porter (2-0), making his first start of the year, picked up the win. He allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits before being lifted in the sixth.
Darren O'Day followed Porter to the hill in the sixth when the Bulldogs cut into the Florida lead on the strength of run-scoring doubles by Edward Easley and Brian LaNinfa. The Bulldogs threatened in the seventh as Joseph Hunter and Matt Richardson opened the frame with singles. But O'Day stayed away from trouble when the Florida infield turned a double play. An inning later the first three Bulldogs reached base, Jeffrey Rea and Easley on infield singles and Berkery with a run-scoring double. An infield groundout plated another Bulldog run and Hunter's second hit of the game added another.
State loaded the bases in the ninth off Gator relief pitcher David Hurst with a pair of singles and an infield error. But MSU managed but one run, that on a Thomas Berkery sacrifice fly.
Freshman Chad Crosswhite worked 2-1/3 innings of scoreless relief and struck out four after replacing Weatherford in the fourth. Mike Valentine, Brett Cleveland and Josh Johnson also pitched in relief for State.
Bryson Barber went 4-for-4 and both Jeroloman and Dickey drove in three runs to pace Florida's 13-hit attack. Ten of those hits came in the first five innings. State got two-hit plate performances from Rea, Easley and hunter and two-RBI games from Berkery and LaNinfa.
With the Saturday doubleheader, the Bulldogs get a rare off Sunday and then take a break from midweek competition before resuming league play May 12-14 in Lexington, Ky., against the SEC-leading kentucky Wildcats. State closes out its regular season schedule with four home games, hosting UT-Martin May 16 and in-state SEC rival Mississippi May 18-20.
FLORIDA 9, MISSISSIPPI STATE 6
UF 020 600 100 --- 9-13-1MSU 000 002 031 --- 6-12-1WP --- Steve Porter (2-0). LP --- Aaron Weatherford (4-2). HR --- Brian Jeroloman (5). T --- 2:42. ATT --- 3,337 (6,614 paid).
