No. 8 Gators Toss Combined One-Hitter to Edge Bethune-Cookman
Jud Fabian provided all the offense Florida needed with his seventh-career multi-homer game as the Orange & Blue hurled its first one-hitter in the last eight seasons.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Five Gator pitchers combined to one-hit visiting Bethune-Cookman as No. 8 Florida picked up a 3-2 midweek victory on Tuesday night.
Right-handed reliever Nick Ficarrotta<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15094&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=0H8IEQV_5fSGmMJtqFJDUhlCKltl5alKgf9r0oXCUFcyECrpsbfX39_vonwX0YuF&s=-j9MBdvRSCrZAcgquYtQGzG_HHHl9K3MWWarMwvhiqQ&e= > allowed the lone hit in the contest, although he paced the Orange & Blue with 4 1/3 quality innings to help power the Gators to their sixth midweek win in as many games this year.
On the offensive end, Jud Fabian<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15127&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=0H8IEQV_5fSGmMJtqFJDUhlCKltl5alKgf9r0oXCUFcyECrpsbfX39_vonwX0YuF&s=Ux-XH8FPus1KscXBtCAtYIXEua-UVdsrfaPoiRtvaNc&e= > homered twice en route to a 3-for-5 night with 10 total bases, two runs and two RBI.
The Gators (16-5, 2-1 SEC) fell behind the Wildcats (8-12, 3-0 SWAC) in the first inning, as Bethune-Cookman scratched together a run on zero hits and four walks. Leadoff man Malik Stephens reached via a walk and proceeded to steal second, later advancing to third on a foul out to first baseman BT Riopelle<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15114&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=0H8IEQV_5fSGmMJtqFJDUhlCKltl5alKgf9r0oXCUFcyECrpsbfX39_vonwX0YuF&s=CdyO1Fjspvb7gz6AanDW–leE9_rAn8dVliWyJ0Jsa8&e= >. Stephens manufactured the run all on his own, stealing home to make it a 1-0 ballgame.
Bethune-Cookman extended its lead in the third, with Matthew Garcia scoring an unearned run on a fielding error by third baseman Colby Halter<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15096&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=0H8IEQV_5fSGmMJtqFJDUhlCKltl5alKgf9r0oXCUFcyECrpsbfX39_vonwX0YuF&s=wxtmShi-NhvfXU8bO8TDiCxh_lrHqOwkSzVQQT30KCM&e= >.
Ficarrotta pitched brilliantly after entering in the first inning, allowing one unearned run while navigating Florida through the fifth.
The score held at 2-0 in favor of the Wildcats until the bottom of the fourth, when the Gators successfully manufactured a run. Ty Evans<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15111&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=0H8IEQV_5fSGmMJtqFJDUhlCKltl5alKgf9r0oXCUFcyECrpsbfX39_vonwX0YuF&s=cLahTHSQ_pKUOYJFF2O35ES8M0xHYMY-3p5JC5niXHo&e= > and Rene Lastres<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15115&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=0H8IEQV_5fSGmMJtqFJDUhlCKltl5alKgf9r0oXCUFcyECrpsbfX39_vonwX0YuF&s=MH_BX6iIyPi80QPwBrPhmiMye1Udf1QKrp8xkkZhG6g&e= > collected back-to-back singles, giving Florida runners at the corners. From there, the Orange & Blue executed a safety squeeze as Mac Guscette<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15095&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=0H8IEQV_5fSGmMJtqFJDUhlCKltl5alKgf9r0oXCUFcyECrpsbfX39_vonwX0YuF&s=v-jccn21_G8uS8q6Kf6BNd7ZzrYv7xsEt3-JRE9Ifpg&e= > brought in Evans with a sacrifice bunt to first base.
From the fifth inning on, J. Fabian took over the game. On a 1-1 count in the bottom of the fifth, Fabian hit his team-leading ninth home run of the year with a drive over the left-center field fence. The big fly moved him into sole possession of sixth on Florida’s all-time home run list with 41 career homers.
Two innings later, Fabian mashed the first pitch of the frame deep to left center for a solo shot. Fabian’s 42nd career blast gave the Gators a 3-2 lead while marking the Florida center fielder’s seventh-career multi-homer game.
Following a shutout frame from Tyler Nesbitt<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15101&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=0H8IEQV_5fSGmMJtqFJDUhlCKltl5alKgf9r0oXCUFcyECrpsbfX39_vonwX0YuF&s=uNTTU2vHvAroHZPnCqjeC3eu13Xsqa1uaYoklI65AyY&e= > in the sixth, southpaw Philip Abner<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15126&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=0H8IEQV_5fSGmMJtqFJDUhlCKltl5alKgf9r0oXCUFcyECrpsbfX39_vonwX0YuF&s=NZ1-XnckT6dp-cL9WyQPltdvTxGk9-AlMX4pNE7_QPk&e= > churned out zeros in the seventh and eighth innings to hold Bethune-Cookman in check. Abner turned the game over to fellow freshman reliever Karl Hartman<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15121&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=0H8IEQV_5fSGmMJtqFJDUhlCKltl5alKgf9r0oXCUFcyECrpsbfX39_vonwX0YuF&s=T_Wj3i0JGhHmB4b-11Y5smpaBWLYDAvradnxYyOCY4Y&e= > in the ninth, who worked around a leadoff walk to secure the first save of his young career.
Abner (1-1) earned his first-career victory, firing two shutout innings on one walk while striking out two. Hartman also struck out a pair of Wildcat batters while working scoreless ninth.
Bethune-Cookman reliever Joan Gonzalez (0-3) was saddled with the loss, tossing four innings with three earned runs allowed on seven hits while striking out four. Wildcats starter Alec Mendez lasted one inning and allowed one hit with one strikeout to his credit.
Florida starting pitcher Nick Pogue<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15102&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=0H8IEQV_5fSGmMJtqFJDUhlCKltl5alKgf9r0oXCUFcyECrpsbfX39_vonwX0YuF&s=ZesZ7NVowhc3-OPZSDt0LEvBCQ6nj4xLMdjBQzo3Ls0&e= > tossed two-thirds of an inning to open the game, allowing one earned run on four walks.
J. Fabian (3-for-5) and Guscette (2-for-3) picked up multiple hits in the victory.
NOTABLES
* Florida tossed its first one-hitter in the last-eight seasons – since holding Missouri to one hit on March 26, 2014.
* The last time the Gators allowed fewer hits – meaning threw a no-hitter – was also against Bethune-Cookman on June 1, 2012, when Jonathon Crawford fired a no-hitter in the first game of the 2012 NCAA Gainesville Regional.
* The Gators improve to 6-0 in midweek games this year.
* J. Fabian’s fifth inning home run marked the 41st of his career, putting him in sole possession of sixth on Florida’s all-time home run list.
* Fabian connected for his 42nd homer in the seventh inning, marking his seventh-career multi-homer game and second already this season.
* In his last 76 games dating back to Feb. 24 of last season (vs. North Florida), Fabian has hit 30 home runs.
* Fabian collected 10 total bases on Tuesday, as all three of his knocks went for extra bases: two home runs and one double.
* Pogue made his second start since returning from Tommy John surgery after a 733-day hiatus from March 10, 2020 to March 13, 2022.
* Florida is now 34-1 all-time vs. Bethune-Cookman including a 33-1 mark at home.
* Florida is 14-1 vs. the Wildcats under head coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_coaches.aspx-3Frc-3D1445&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=0H8IEQV_5fSGmMJtqFJDUhlCKltl5alKgf9r0oXCUFcyECrpsbfX39_vonwX0YuF&s=oqWaT8ZSrXBwqu5l3I_uWMv1U1AwD-rA2zQYGe34_WA&e= >.
* The Gators have now won three-straight games against Bethune-Cookman.
* Florida is 37-7 across the program’s last 44 regular season games at Florida Ballpark.
* The Gators are 22-4 in their last 26 regular season home games.
* The Gators have won 15 of their last 18 games overall.
* Kendrick Calilao’s<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15092&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=0H8IEQV_5fSGmMJtqFJDUhlCKltl5alKgf9r0oXCUFcyECrpsbfX39_vonwX0YuF&s=LFBfcvhntZtlw6W5UHbP3Y8Iyf8tx6qqnO_hZh8ILc0&e= > team-leading 10-game hit streak came to an end, as he failed to record a knock in an eighth-inning pinch-hit appearance.
FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O’SULLIVAN
On Bethune-Cookman’s performance…
“Bethune has been playing really well. They played some really good teams on their schedule. For a program that did not have the opportunity to play last year, they’re eager. They got here early. I think we stretched at 3:05 and they were already here. They were ready to play. I think their pitching was really good tonight. They pitched with their off-speed pitches in fastball counts. In the middle of the game, they were running a guy out there touching 94 and had a good slider and didn’t walk many. They played good defense. It was one of those games where it wasn’t going to be a game where they’re going to walk two guys to start an inning and kick a ball. It was a clean game on their end, so hats off to them.”
On what he saw on the first-inning steal of home…
“I don’t know. I think it caught everyone by surprise. Lesson learned, but he can really run. I think the bottom line is Mac [Guscette] probably needs to take a peek before he throws the ball back to the pitcher. It doesn’t happen very often, but certainly don’t expect that to happen again.”
On Pogue returning from Tommy John…
“It’s hard. He’s probably thinking about things a little bit. It’s not an easy thing to come back from. Normally, in a perfect world, you go through all your rehab stuff in the offseason then you have the opportunity to throw in some intra-squad games, but he hasn’t had that opportunity. He’s rehabbed and thrown to our hitters, so this is his first time out. I know he’s probably frustrated, but it’s part of the process. It is what it is.”
UP NEXT
The Gators host No. 21 LSU this upcoming weekend in a three-game, top-25 series at Florida Ballpark. Game one will air on Friday on SEC Network at 7 p.m., while games two and three will stream on SEC Network+ on Saturday (6:30 p.m.) and Sunday (12 p.m.).
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