UF Baseball: #1 Florida Routes Eastern Michigan 12-4

#1 Florida remained undefeated after romping the Eastern Michigan Eagles 12-4 last night. Junior righty Dane Dunning was called upon for his first start of the year and was able to pick up his first win of 2016.

Dunning only threw 3.2 innings, but was still somehow eligible for the win at this point with the Gators leading 9-2 in the contest. His final stat line was four hits allowed, two earned runs allowed, two walks, and two strikeouts on 74 pitches.

Relieving Dunning in the fourth, freshman flame thrower Brady Singer came in and allowed one hit while walking one and striking out two in 1.1 innings pitched.

After Singer was junior Shaun Anderson, who threw two innings of one-hit relief while striking out three.

In the eighth, junior lefty Kirby Snead took the mound and allowed just one hit and one unearned run while striking out two.

Shutting it down in the ninth, the fifth Gator pitcher of the night in 6'7 freshman lefty Hunter Bowling came in and mercifully ended this game. He allowed one earned run, walked one, and struck out two.

Offensively, this is the second consecutive game where the Gators have scored 12 runs! It was such a blowout by the final three innings that the entire starting lineup was subbed out! Everyone who was not solely just a pitcher was able to get action in this game.

Banging out 12 hits tonight, the Gator lineup saw five players with multi-hit games. At the top of the lineup, sophomore shortstop Dalton Guthrie went 2-3 with an RBI. Right behind him in the two-hole, junior center fielder Buddy Reed went 2-3 with a triple, a walk, and three runs scored.

Buddy Reed just moments away before belting a triple of the left field wall.

After Reed, sophomore catcher JJ Schwarz finally ended his home run drought as he parked a two-run bomb out into left field in the bottom of the fourth. He would end the game a perfect 2-2 with two RBI's, three runs scored, and a walk.

In the five-hole, junior first baseman Peter Alonso might have been taking out the anger he may have been feeling from the midterm he and I had to take in our history class earlier that day. He went 2-3 as he smacked two doubles, knocked in four RBI's, scored twice, and walked once.

The final multi-hit Gator was freshman second baseman Deacon Liput, who went 2-3 with a double and an RBI.

Final Takeaway:
Sophomore right fielder Jeremy Vasquez had no official at-bat in last night's game as he was hit twice and walked once. The first hit by pitch was completely on accident in the first inning while the second one was most likely intentional considering it came after a JJ Schwarz home run.

Of the eight defensive subs that O'Sullivan inserted into the game, only sophomore catchers Mike Rivera and Mark Kolozsvary obtained hits. Of those two, it was actually Kolozsvary who assumed duties behind the plate as Rivera manned third base.

Here is my final tidbit. Senior infielder Jason Lombardozzi, a mechanical engineering major who always reps the baseball team on the SEC Academic Honor Roll, came so close to hitting his first career home run after belting a shot to left field that came up just short at the warning track.

I felt for the guy after missing out on a dinger by just mere inches, and I hope that the Gators smash a few other teams this season so Lombardozzi can get another chance to put one out.

As expected, the Gators (4-0) won this one easily and everyone (23 players in fact) had a chance to have some fun and pad their stats. Back at it again (don't start with the "Damn Daniel") with Eastern Michigan (3-2) on Wednesday, #1 Florida will look to get a mini-sweep. This game will be in Lakeland (for some reason) at Joker Marchant Stadium and game time is at 7:00 p.m. Probable pitchers are unknown.

*All stats accredited to FloridaGators.com & the official Twitter account of Florida Gator Baseball