Taylor Gushue saved the University of Florida baseball team from equaling its worst losing streak in 40 years.
Gushue, from Boca Raton, drove in the tying and go-ahead runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Gators to a 6-4 win over Miami at McKethan Stadium on Saturday night. UF ended a six-game skid and evened the three-game series with the Hurricanes at one game apiece.
The Gators (4-7) had not lost seven in a row since 1973. They dealt Miami (10-1) its first loss of the season.
The Hurricanes were in control most of the night but folded in the eighth. They led 3-2 going into the bottom of the inning before Gushue put Florida ahead 4-3 on a two-run single.
The Gators scored twice more on wild pitches by Miami reliever Adam Sargent.
Florida was desperate to break out of its slump, which included losses to Georgia Southern and North Florida as well as a sweep by Florida Gulf Coast. The Gators also lost to Miami on Friday, ending their 11-game winning streak in the rivalry.
The Gators fell behind 3-1 in the fifth, but quality pitching kept the game in reach. Starting pitcher Tucker Simpson, a freshman, gave up two earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. Ryan Harris, a sophomore from Jupiter High School, followed him by retiring the first seven batters he faced.
Harris threw 3 1/3 shutout innings, striking out two and giving up one hit. Johnny Magliozzi (1-0) finished it by allowing one run in 1 1/3 innings.
Miami starter Javi Salas allowed one earned run on four hits in six innings.
While the victory was a relief for Florida, the team continued to stumble through errors and mental mistakes. The Gators lead the SEC with 18 errors, including two Saturday.
UF paid for two crucial mistakes in the top of the fifth, when the Hurricanes pulled ahead 3-1. Alex Hernandez and Chantz Mack led off with back-to-back singles, and then Hernandez scored on a throwing error by Gators third baseman Zack Powers. Mack scored later that inning on Simpson’s wild pitch.
Florida was threatening to pad its 6-3 lead in the eighth, but the Gators ended the inning on a double play. Josh Tobias flied out to center field, and Vickash Ramjit couldn’t get back to first base ahead of Dale Carey’s throw.
Gushue, a sophomore, finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Casey Turgeon led off the sixth with a home run, his second of the season.
The teams will play again at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Florida State 7, Villanova 0: Scott Sitz (2-0) threw six shutout innings, allowing three hits while striking out nine and walking one, to help the host Seminoles (9-0) defeat the Wildcats (1-5) and remain undefeated. Marcus Davis was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, a single, two RBIs and three runs scored for FSU.
N.C. State 2, Florida Atlantic 1 (10): FAU starting pitcher Jack Mestruck struck out a career-high seven and allowed one run in five innings, but the Owls (5-5) lost to the Wolfpack (9-1) in 10 innings in the Caravelle Resort's Baseball at the Beach Tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C. N.C. State's Trea Turner led off the 10th with a double and took third base on a fielding error in left. After back-to-back intentional walks, Tarran Senay hit a ground ball and Turner beat the throw to home plate on an attempted force-out. Wolfpack starting pitcher Carlos Rodon struck out 16 in seven innings and allowed two hits and one run while walking three.
Palm Beach State 5, Indian River State 0: Ryan Pistey pitched a shutout, striking out seven, as the Panthers (17-8) defeated the Pioneers in Lake Worth. Gabe Martinez was 2-for-3 with a home run.
