Josh Adams powered the Gators on Friday night, as they cruised to a 6-2 victory over the South Florida Bulls. Adams hit 2 monster home runs and a RBI double while going 3-3 with a walk and 4 RBI, while freshman Austin Maddox hit an opposite field 2 run homerun in his first collegiate at bat.

*I will write out most numbers ten and under as grammatically correct, but statistics will be numeric. Just in case you are wondering why there are both 2's and threes*

Randy Fonanez started for USF and took the loss, pitching 6.2 innings allowing 7 hits, 6 runs all earned, while walking 3 and striking out 5. He was relieved by Teddy Kaufman who pitched 1.1 innings, allowing 1 hit while striking out 2.

Tommy Toledo started for the Gators and lasted only 3.1 innings, not enough to earn a decision (a starter must go 5 to qualify), and left after 71 pitches. Toledo allowed 1 unearned run on 3 hits, walking 2 while striking out 4. Coach Kevin O’Sullivan had said prior to the game Toledo would be on around a 70 pitch count and pulled him two batters into the fourth inning.

Alex Panteliodis relieved and earned the victory, pitching 3.1 innings himself allowing 1 run on 3 hits, walking 1 while striking out 3. He was replaced by Greg Larsen, who pitched 2.1 innings of 1 hit, scoreless baseball to earn the save. Larsen struck out 2.

Florida jumped to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first in only four batters. Matt den Dekker singled in the first Gator at bat of the season. Adams followed and hit a no doubt, towering, 2 run home run on a 3-1 count. den Dekker deserves an assist here, as he induced 4 throws over to first to keep Fonanez distracted. Preston Tucker batted third and drew a 5 pitch walk. Maddox belted the second pitch he saw as a collegian over the right center field fence for a 4-0 lead.

Florida threatened in the third after Adams walked and was retired on a Tucker fielder’s choice. Maddox hit a ball to third that was misplayed by Jonathan Koscso, but ruled a hit, the first of two decisions by the official scorer I did not agree with. As the ball rolled into left field, Tucker was alert to the fact no one was covering third and advanced unopposed. With runners on first and third and only one out, Fonanez was able to strike out Tyler Thompson before Daniel Pigott attempted a bunt for a hit on the first pitch and bunted it straight to first baseman Todd Brazeal to retire the side.

UF scored again in the fifth when Adams hit his second homerun of the day on the first pitch of the at bat. This bomb was even further than his first homer, with no one on and one out. This was a massive shot down the line in left that had those in the left field bleachers craning their necks and looking toward the O-Dome trying to figure out where it landed.

The Gators closed out their scoring in the seventh. After Fonanez quickly retired shortstop Nolan Fontana and catcher Mike Zunino on a popup to left and a strikeout respectively, den Dekker singled on the first pitch of his at bat. Adams laced the first pitch he saw into the gap, driving home den Dekker all the way from first on a stand up RBI double.

South Florida scored in the top of the third when Stephen Hunt reached second on an error by Thompson in left field. Sam Meade sacrificed to move Hunt to third. Brazeal then grounded out to Tucker at first to drive in Hunt as an unearned run.

USF scored their other run in the top of the fifth. After Koscso struck out looking, Hunt hit a slow chopper back to Panteliodis on the mound who dropped the ball on what appeared to be an easy play. This too was ruled a hit, the other decision by the official scorer I did not agree with. I felt both plays should’ve been ruled errors. Mende then hit a standup double that scored Hunt easily from first.

This was a good first win of the year over a team that should contend for their conference crown. A concern was some sloppy ball handling on defense, as the Gators made two errors, a dropped ball in left and a catcher’s interference. UF also made (failed to make?) several other plays that could have been ruled errors. The Panteliodis bobble and drop mentioned above, and a play in the second inning where Adams bobbled a ground ball and then made a throw off the bag at second base allowing everyone to be safe. The grounder was sharply hit as Adams mainly knocked the ball down, and the play would’ve been bang bang at second, so I can live with the hit scoring here. Fontana also bobbled a ball at short that had double play potential, but was able to get the fielder’s choice at second after gathering himself. Of course since the double play is never assumed, this just goes down as FC 6-4, even though our eyes know an out was lost.

Tomorrow’s game is at 2PM, so my suggestion would be to head to one of the restaurants near midtown for the second half of the Gator basketball game which starts at noon. That way you can quickly high tail it into McKethan sometime in the first inning. As for me, I’ll listen to the final few moments of Billy Ball on a pocket radio while watching freshman Brian Johnson get his first career start for the Gators. See you at the park!