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The Florida Gators got back to their winning ways Tuesday night, 6-2, but the offense didn’t explode as many expected them to.
Yoel Tejada Jr. delivered his best start of the season, allowing zero runs across four innings of work. He ran into trouble a few times but got timely strikeouts and ground balls to get out of whatever jam he found himself in.
Tejeda could have easily set a new career-high in innings pitched or strikeouts had he come out in the fifth, but Kevin O’Sullivan isn’t in the business of overusing arms.
#⃣3⃣ on the night for Yoel
#GoGators //
https://t.co/d5ODptSUgi pic.twitter.com/mokpdKs9Ex— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) April 25, 2023
Unfortunately, Nick Ficarrotta struggled in the fifth and gave up a pair of runs. That’s all North Florida would get to him for, but it’s a blemish an otherwise decent outing.
Ficarrotta sat the Ospreys down in order in the sixth, but he was removed after surrendering a leadoff walk in the seventh. Left-hander Phillp Abner took over and got out of the inning without any trouble, but he struggled in the eighth giving up back-to-back singles.
Ryan Slatersaved Abner with a strikeout and a lazy fly out into shallow left field.
Florida’s bullpen was overall shaky Tuesday night, but the same can’t be said about North Florida’s relievers. Tony Roca entered the game with an earned run average above 9.20, but he kept the Gators hitless for three-straight innings.
Fic status = nasty#GoGators //
https://t.co/d5ODptSUgi pic.twitter.com/uP3YnRBGnR— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) April 26, 2023
UF finally got to him in the eighth. Wyatt Langford produced a leadoff single, and Josh Rivera walked before BT Riopelle came up with a much-needed RBI single. Riopelle has been in a slump and striking out a ton, so it’s good to see him get one after a really tough series against South Carolina.
Riopelle’s RBI single was technically an insurance run since Florida had been leading all game, but it had been half a ball game since the Gators last scored and felt a whole lot bigger. Rivera singled, Luke Heyman homered (8) and Riopelle got a lucky sacrifice fly RBI on a foul out in the third to give Florida the three early runs.
𝘽𝙏 𝘽𝙊𝙊𝙊𝙊𝙊𝙊𝙊𝙎𝙏
#GoGators //
https://t.co/d5ODptSUgi pic.twitter.com/yNERhDq1Pg— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) April 26, 2023
Heyman came through in the eighth after Riopelle for an RBI single of his own, so it was a big day for the catchers altogether. Colby Halter added another to the lead with a sacrifice fly, but that was all UF could muster up.
Slater finished off the ninth, stranding a man a third base on a game-ending fly out to the warning track.
Florida hosts Missouri over the weekend starting on Friday at 7 p.m. EDT.
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By: David Rosenberg
Title: Florida comes alive late against UNF in tight midweek contest
Sourced From: gatorswire.usatoday.com/2023/04/25/florida-baseball-unf-ospreys-game-recap-yoel-tejeda-luke-heyman-bt-riopelle/
Published Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2023 01:28:40 +0000
