April 4, 1998
LEXINGTON, Kty. – No. 5 Florida blasted 11 hits and scored 17 runs in the second inning and Kentucky never recovered as the Gators cruised to a 32-10 victory Saturday at Cliff Hagan Stadium. The teams have combined for 75 hits and 72 runs in the first two games of the three-game series.
The top of the second featured 11 hits, including four doubles, and eight walks as the Gators sent 19 consecutive batters to the plate before an out was recorded. Florida set a NCAA record with 20 consecutive batters reaching base over two innings. UK starter Jason Chaney (0-5) allowed four hits, three walks and eight runs in one inning of work. Josh Paxton relieved Chaney in the second inning and failed to record an out, allowing six hits and eight runs.
Florida (25-8, 10-3) added to its lead in the third inning with five runs thanks to a grand slam by catcher David Ross. Floridais Jason Dill, who went 3-for-4, hit a solo homer in the fourth as the Gators put two more runs on the board. UK (12-19, 3-11) got into the scoring column in the fifth. Andy Bendix drew a one-out walk and John Wilson followed with his first career triple. Mark Murphy followed with an RBI double. Nate Linder, who had a career-high two hits, and Andy Green added RBI singles in the inning, trimming the deficit to 24-4.
Murphy and Green each had an RBI single in the sixth, cutting the lead to 24-6. UK scored two runs in the seventh and eighth innings, but Florida countered with eight runs in the final two innings. Wilson, who tied his career-high with three hits, and Linder had RBI singles in the seventh. Junior Josh Loggins hit a two-run homer in the eighth, his eighth of the season. UK has homered in 16 of its last 17 games. UK had 16 hits in the game. Reserve Robert Newton went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Jason Pasero added two hits in a reserve role. UK reliever Bradd Heyerly allowed 14 hits in 6.2 innings of work, the longest outing of his career in a SEC game. Jon Hooker pitched the final 1.1 innings for the Wildcats.
Tommy Bond (3-0) picked up the victory in five innings of work, allowing seven hits and four runs. Floridais Greg Catalanotte went 3-for-4 with four runs scored and two RBIs. Brad Wilkerson added two hits, two RBIs and three runs scored.
The final game of the series is set for 1 p.m. Sunday. Freshman Brandon Webb (2-2) will take the mound for the Wildcats. Wilkerson will throw for the Gators.
