Gator Baseball Gator Baseball: UF vs. UK

FireFoley

Senior Member
Lifetime Member
Nov 19, 2014
9,013
14,787
Gators host KY this weekend at the MAC. UF is 7-11 in SEC play while UK is 4-14, last in the East, and tied with Alabama for the worst record in the conference. I won't carry on about how bad this team is in many areas, but like Alabama. KY is awful and this is a must sweep weekend. You can't use the excuses of youth anymore b/c many schools have to play frosh and they are producing, even for us. I expect all of about 400 or 500 people out there for each game (jk).
 

maheo30

WiLLLLLLLie! WiLLLLLLLie!
Lifetime Member
Jul 24, 2014
9,117
22,726
I'm trying out for the bullpen. I throw about a 70mph fastball. I'm thinking I got a shot at playing. I can't do any worse.
 

CGgater

Gainesville Native
Lifetime Member
Jul 30, 2014
10,129
16,370
I'm trying out for the bullpen. I throw about a 100mph fastball... or maybe it’s 30mph... I dunno, I’ve been drinking since 11am... I still think I got a shot at playing.

FIFY.
 
Apr 22, 2019
6
5
As much as we've struggled, we're still much better than UK so this should be an easy series win.

UK is tough to sweep though since they have Zack Thompson as one of their starters, and he's one of the best pitchers in the country.

Get the sweep though, and our post-season chances would look pretty good heading into the finishing stretch
 

Ocalaman

Well-Known Member
Mar 7, 2018
756
1,029
With the state of our pitching, no game or series is going to be easy. Every game is a struggle to throw strikes and score enough runs to offset wild pitches, passed balls, hit batters, walks, errors and fat 0-2 pitches and hanging curves.
 

Ocalaman

Well-Known Member
Mar 7, 2018
756
1,029
Home Runs by McConnell in the 1st & Maldanado in the 3rd give the Gators a 4-0 lead, but Tommy Mace turns right around in the 4th and hits a guy, gives up a single and a walk to load the bases. 1 run scores on a double play and then he gives up a 2-out HR to cut the lead to 4-3, bottom of the 4th. Mace is already up to 68 pitches, so if KY just stays close until we go to the bullpen, they have us right where they want us.
 

deuce

Founding Member
"Cry 'Havoc!', and let slip the dogs of war."
Lifetime Member
Jun 11, 2014
6,891
6,162
Founding Member

maheo30

WiLLLLLLLie! WiLLLLLLLie!
Lifetime Member
Jul 24, 2014
9,117
22,726
Last I saw it is 7-6 good guys with Jordan Butler on the mound pretty much ensuring we are going to lose.
 

Ocalaman

Well-Known Member
Mar 7, 2018
756
1,029
UF baseball wins Friday night over hapless Kentucky 10-8. Nelson Maldanado had a 3-run HR and a 2-run Double, Wil Dalton had a 2 run HR and sac fly RBI and Brady McConnell led off the bottom of the 1st with a HR, as the Gators pounded out 13 hits. On the down side, Tommy Mace got knocked out with a line drive off the head in the 5th inning, Butler and Scott were ineffective in relief and the defense made 3 errors that accounted for 4 unearned runs. Nolan Crisp got he last 5 outs unscathed to pick up a save.
 

FireFoley

Senior Member
Lifetime Member
Nov 19, 2014
9,013
14,787
Another uninspiring performance defensively tonite at the MAC with 3 official errors and two others that should have been errors. The defense is horrendous, but the win was very important. On a positive note Young had a good game defensively at 2B, so that was a plus, but McConnell was terrible and Acton was bad along with Dalton. Very scary moment when Mace got tagged with a line drive. I could not see where he was hit exactly, but he went down immediately, got up and jogged a few steps then went down again when the trainer came out. Walked off on his own and was coherent enough to slam his glove down entering the dugout. If anyone hears anything please post here. it was a very scary scene.
 

FireFoley

Senior Member
Lifetime Member
Nov 19, 2014
9,013
14,787
Gators lose 5-1 as the UK starter throws a complete game. He was very good but UF had their chances. Jack Leftwich started for the Gators and was his usual inconsistent self. He walked the leadoff hitter of the game after getting an 0-2 count. He hit the leadoff hitter in the 2nd inning after getting a 1-2 count. I think he had 3 walks after getting an 0-2 count and he also hit another batter with the bases loaded. He was just totally inconsistent. Gators had a chance trailing 3-1 in bottom of 8th when McConnell reached 3rd base on a walk and then a wild pickoff throw and ZERO outs. With UK conceding his run by playing the infield back, Langworthy promptly struck out LOOKING, Nelly popped out in the infield and Calilao struck out to end the threat. So UK was willing to trade a run for an out and neither Langworthy or Nelly could hit a ground ball. UK tacked on 2 insurance runs in the 9th to get the 4 run margin.

No idea who starts tomorrow as I heard Dyson and Ruth are not available to pitch. So probably going to be Johnny Wholestaff. Needed a sweep, did not get it, so Sumday is a must win.
 

Ocalaman

Well-Known Member
Mar 7, 2018
756
1,029
Zack Thompson will probably be a 1st round MLB draft pick in a couple of months and when he bore down it seems our hitters were overmatchedl We consistently look at curve balls, altough his was great. Specht pitched well in relief until the 9th inning. The announcers showed a graphic that if an SEC team has 12 conference wins or less they have never gotten into the NCAA tournament. If they have 13-15 conference wins they get in 58% of the time, 16 or more 100% of the time. With Florida's SOS and RPI they have to win at least 5 of their 10 remaining conference games to have any chance of getting in, with 6 of those games on the road where we are 1-8 in the SEC right now. We're at Georgia next weekend, host Tennessee the following weekend (their team ERA is under 3.00, best in the league) and close out at Missouri. Not looking good and tomorrow is an absolute MUST win, IMO. Luethje would be my pick to start, but who knows? He hasn't seen action since Tuesday, but has a 2.31 ERA in 23.1 innings, the only pitcher under 3.50.
 

Ocalaman

Well-Known Member
Mar 7, 2018
756
1,029
UF wins the rubber game with KY 12-8 to go to 9-12 in the SEC, 28-18 overall. Christian Scott was very good in relief, shutting out the Wildcats the last 4.1 innings of the game to get the win (5-3), after Blasucci, Alintoff and Luethje were terrible before him. The offense pounded out 13 hits, led by Langworthy's 3 hits and 3 RBI's, Maldanado's 2 hits, HR and 3 RBI's, Brady Smith's 2 hits, 3 walks, HR and 3 RBI's . They have a lot of work to do to make the NCAA's though. They may be catching Georgia on a little bit of a downturn, with their best pitcher out and the third baseman/closer out. Can they find 5 wins in their last 9 league games, or will they go into the SEC tournament needing to win some games?
 

FireFoley

Senior Member
Lifetime Member
Nov 19, 2014
9,013
14,787
4 hours with the heat baking me and my brain and I can't even remember what happened other than both teams either scored 2 or 4 runs in innings which they did score. The first 3 times we scored, UK came back to score in the top of their inning. So much for shutdown innings. Ocala was correct as the pitching was awful on both sides. Scott did a nice job. No midweek game this week so we have time to try and sort out a rotation for the remaining 9 SEC games. Heard an interesting rumor today that Dyson may be done for the year. Part physical/part mental. Not sure what the physical aspect is (shoulder?), but definitely something mental. Not that he has been great, but it would eliminate one guy from being a maybe.
 

Ocalaman

Well-Known Member
Mar 7, 2018
756
1,029
4 hours with the heat baking me and my brain and I can't even remember what happened other than both teams either scored 2 or 4 runs in innings which they did score. The first 3 times we scored, UK came back to score in the top of their inning. So much for shutdown innings. Ocala was correct as the pitching was awful on both sides. Scott did a nice job. No midweek game this week so we have time to try and sort out a rotation for the remaining 9 SEC games. Heard an interesting rumor today that Dyson may be done for the year. Part physical/part mental. Not sure what the physical aspect is (shoulder?), but definitely something mental. Not that he has been great, but it would eliminate one guy from being a maybe.
Do you think more people will go when the new stadium is built and there's some shade provided? I have to drive up from Ocala and just won;t go when it's this hot out, especially when I can sit in my recliner and watch on TV. But if there was shade, I might.
 

FireFoley

Senior Member
Lifetime Member
Nov 19, 2014
9,013
14,787
Do you think more people will go when the new stadium is built and there's some shade provided? I have to drive up from Ocala and just won;t go when it's this hot out, especially when I can sit in my recliner and watch on TV. But if there was shade, I might.

Here is my honest opinion. After the first year that the new baseball stadium is open and the novelty of people just going b/c it is new, I think the crowds will be less over time than the current crowds are now, which given the price and product they put on the field year in/year out, is horrendous. No one goes to games over time just b/c of the venue, IMO. The location of the new park is horrendous, almost out to Archer Road. The few students who do straggle into a game do so b/c they might be walking by or the proximity is good to on campus living. but the new park will draw no casual student fans b/c they will have to make a concerted effort to go to that stadium. The stadium we have now is plenty for what we need. Sure it needs some work, but it is decent and a good location. This new facility is money poorly spent.
 

Ocalaman

Well-Known Member
Mar 7, 2018
756
1,029
4 hours with the heat baking me and my brain and I can't even remember what happened other than both teams either scored 2 or 4 runs in innings which they did score. The first 3 times we scored, UK came back to score in the top of their inning. So much for shutdown innings. Ocala was correct as the pitching was awful on both sides. Scott did a nice job. No midweek game this week so we have time to try and sort out a rotation for the remaining 9 SEC games. Heard an interesting rumor today that Dyson may be done for the year. Part physical/part mental. Not sure what the physical aspect is (shoulder?), but definitely something mental. Not that he has been great, but it would eliminate one guy from being a maybe.
Do you know or can you find out what happened to Garrett Milchin? He's still listed on the roster, redshirted last year to rehab from an injury, but had a good freshman year and was expected to be a contributor this year. Two years ago he had 19 appearances on the mound, started 2 games with an ERA of 3.29 and a 4-2 record. He, also pinch hit some, starting 5 games and appearing in 13 in the field and was expected to compete for either time at first base or as a midweek starter or significant bullpen contributor. Just wondering. Garrett Milchin - Baseball - Florida Gators
 

FireFoley

Senior Member
Lifetime Member
Nov 19, 2014
9,013
14,787
Do you know or can you find out what happened to Garrett Milchin? He's still listed on the roster, redshirted last year to rehab from an injury, but had a good freshman year and was expected to be a contributor this year. Two years ago he had 19 appearances on the mound, started 2 games with an ERA of 3.29 and a 4-2 record. He, also pinch hit some, starting 5 games and appearing in 13 in the field and was expected to compete for either time at first base or as a midweek starter or significant bullpen contributor. Just wondering. Garrett Milchin - Baseball - Florida Gators

Good Question and I have asked it myself. I see him in uniform when I am at the game but he has neither hit nor pitched this entire year. I don;t know if his injury is still preventing him from playing or what, so I have no factual answer for you. Speaking of injury. Mace was seen walking around in the outfield pregame so I was told and appears to be ok.
 

Ocalaman

Well-Known Member
Mar 7, 2018
756
1,029
Good Question and I have asked it myself. I see him in uniform when I am at the game but he has neither hit nor pitched this entire year. I don;t know if his injury is still preventing him from playing or what, so I have no factual answer for you. Speaking of injury. Mace was seen walking around in the outfield pregame so I was told and appears to be ok.
They interviewed Mace Saturday during the game and he said he was fine. Ben McDonald talked about him again during today's game and said he had spoken to him before the game and said Mace seemed fine to him.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Help Users

You haven't joined any rooms.