May 16, 2003
Gainesville, Fla. –
The Kentucky baseball team surrendered a season-high 19 runs in a 19-0 loss to Florida on Friday, May 16, in Gainesville, Fla. Florida starting pitcher Justin Hoyman tossed a complete-game three hitter and the Gators pounded out 19 hits in the game.
Ragged defense hurt the Cats (23-31, 8-19 SEC) early on, as the Gators (33-18-1, 12-15-1 SEC) scored three unearned runs in the first two innings. With two runners on and one out in the first, Brian Rose hit a ground ball to shortstop that Joe Naill threw into right field attempting to start a double play at second base. Both runners scored on the play and Rose later crossed the plate on a Mario Garza single. Florida struck again in the second as Stephen Barton and Justin Tordi each singled with one out. As Barton attempted to go from first to third on the play, Caleb Brock’s throw from right field hit Barton in the back and went into the UK dugout allowing Barton to score.
Florida put the game on ice with a five-run fifth inning in which the Gators sent 10 batters to the plate and chased UK starter Scott Wade from the mound. UF banged out four consecutive singles to start the inning and six total in the frame. Two more UK errors helped the cause for Florida. Wade (3-7) took the loss after he allowed 12 runs, only six of them earned, on 13 hits in 4 2/3 innings of work. A Garza home run in the sixth made it a 14-0 Florida lead.
Hoyman (8-5) faced the minimum through six innings, allowing only a hit to Casey Gilvin to start the game and retiring 14 UK batters in a row before Jake Kungl broke the string with a single to lead off the sixth.
The two teams will hook up in game two of the weekend series on Saturday. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. EST from McKethan Stadium in Gainesville, Fla.
— UK —
