April 8, 2000
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Florida designated hitter Jason Dill clubbed two home runs as the Gators handed the Kentucky Wildcats (25-8, 5-8 Southeastern Conference) their worst defeat of the season, 18-0, on a frigid Saturday afternoon at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
With game time temperatures at 38-degrees with a severe wind blowing out, Florida victimized the UK pitching staff for 17 hits and three home runs. All nine starters had at least one hit as the Gators (26-14, 9-5 SEC) have out-hit the Cats 29-13, out-scoring them 25-2, through the first two games of the series.
UK suffered its worst loss since last year’s season-opener, an 18-2 loss at Florida Atlantic.
In Saturday’s game, UK freshman Mark Michael was roughed up for six runs on five hits in two-plus innings, the second-shortest starting stint of his career. Michael (4-1) was coming off the best start of his career when he pitched 8-2/3 shutout innings with a career-high seven strikeouts in UK’s 3-0 win over Ole Miss last Sunday.
Michael was chased from the game after Dill’s first homer, a two-run shot over the scoreboard in right field. Reliever Joseph Blanton came on to close out the third, but ran into trouble in the fourth when the Gators scored four more runs. For the second straight inning, the Florida half of the frame was highlighted by a Dill home run, his seventh of the season. This time the left-handed hitter reached out and poked a three-run shot just over the left field wall, giving the Gators a 10-0 lead. Dill’s five RBI tied a career-high.
Meanwhile, Gator starter Jeff Cordozo was keeping the UK hitters off-balance and allowed just four hits over five scoreless innings. The junior right-hander struck out three, walking just one. With Florida leading 11-0 after five innings, Eddie Rojas came in and picked up right where Cordozo (4-1) had left off. The left-hander pitched four scoreless innings in relief, earning his first save of the season, completing Florida’s first shutout since 1996, a span of 230 games.
Florida’s Tim Olson extended his hitting streak to a career-high 21 games with a fifth-inning double. Olson added to his day with a three-run homer to left in the eighth that knocked Blanton from the game. Blanton worked 5-2/3 innings in relief, allowing nine runs (five earned) on nine hits while walking three.
With UK being held to six hits, its second-lowest total of the year, third baseman Vince Harrison was the lone Wildcat to collect more than one hit in the game, going 2-for-2. Andy Green made a nifty diving grab down the right field line and collected a base hit. Green has hit safely in 31 of UK’s 33 games in 2000.
Kentucky will try to avoid its first three-game losing streak of the season on Sunday when they play host to Florida for the series finale. First pitch is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. EDT with Scott Wade (6-2, 2.75 ERA) slated to start for the Cats against Florida’s Joey Simon (6-2, 4.97 ERA).
