Two-run eighth inning lifts Gators over Rebels
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 15-ranked Florida baseball team took down No. 3 Ole Miss, 4-1, in the series opener on Thursday. With the win, the Gators improve to 17-8 overall, and 4-3 in Southeastern Conference play.
Jacob Young got the Gators off to a fast start, scoring on a Nathan Hickey double after leading off the game with his league-leading 11th double of the season. Young paced Florida with a 2-for-4 night, scoring two runs and driving in one.
The Gators took the lead for good in the fourth inning when Colby Halter singled to right field to plate Jordan Butler. Florida sealed the game in the eighth, scoring two more runs as Young tripled home Jordan Carrion and then came home on a Hickey groundout. Carrion, who got the start at short, batted 2-for-3 on the evening.
Franco Aleman (1-1) earned the win in his first career start, allowing just one unearned run on three hits and striking out three in four innings. Tommy Mace closed the door on the Rebels, striking out seven while only allowing one hit in five innings of relief.
FROM COACH O’SULLIVAN
On changing the pitching…
“Well, I drove home from South Carolina and sat on it. I slept on it Sunday night and made the decision. They went out and pitched great tonight. It’s really that simple.”
On not pulling from the bullpen…
“That was the plan. Franco (Aleman) gave us four and Tommy (Mace) goes five. It worked out really well.”
On scoring first…
“(Gunnar) Hoglund is really good, obviously. We only struck out five times the entire night. Jordan (Carrion) and Jacob (Young) gave us a big insurance runs in the eighth and we got another one that put us up three, which gave us a little breathing room. Jacob had a great night and got us started early. We needed to be, because Hoglund is obviously that good.”
NEXT TIME OUT: The weekend series between Florida and Ole Miss will continue when the Gators take the field tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. ET. The game can be streamed on SEC Network+ with radio coverage provided on ESPN 98.1 FM/850 AM WRUF.
