May 17, 2003
Gainesville, Fla. –
For the second consecutive day the Kentucky baseball team lost to Florida, as the Gators downed the Cats, 13-4, on Saturday, May 17, in Gainesville. The Florida offense was hitting on all cylinders, pounding out 16 hits en route to the victory.
Behind a four-run fourth inning, Florida (34-18-1, 13-15-1 SEC) broke the game open, banging out five hits in the inning, including a triple and two home runs while batting around the order. After a ground out started the inning, Brett Dowdy walked, Jeff Corsaletti tripled and Brian Rose homered to the opposite field to put Florida up, 10-3. A solo blast from Mario Garza made it an 11-3 score. Florida added two more runs in the seventh. Mike Pete (4-2) picked up the win pitching in relief for the Gators.
Kentucky (23-32, 8-20 SEC) opened the scoring in the top of the first as Casey Gilvin led the game off with a walk and Spencer Graeter lined a single to left field. After a Mike Breyman ground out advanced the runners, Caleb Stewart’s ground out to the right side scored Gilvin and Caleb Brock brought Graeter home with an RBI single to right to put the Cats ahead, 2-0.
The Cats manufactured another run in the second frame when Joe Naill walked, moved to third on a Gilvin single and scored on a safety squeeze from Graeter.
Florida took the advantage, 4-3, in its half of the second inning as UK starter Heath Castle (6-5) battled control problems. Castle walked the first two batters in the second on nine pitchers before recording a strikeout of C. J. Smith. Stephen Barton and Justin Tordi then laced consecutive triples, tying the game at 3-3. Jonathan Tucker’s sacrifice fly to center scored Tordi from third and put the Gators on top. UF added to its lead in third, scoring three times and chasing Castle from the mound. Rose walked with one out and Ben Harrison unloaded on a home run to deep left field, making it a 6-3 game. Garza then doubled and scored all the way from second base on a wild pitch that bounded near the Florida dugout. Brock’s throw to a covering Castle at home plate was wide allowing Garza to slide in safely and increase the margin to 7-3.
The two teams will finish the weekend series on Sunday. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. EDT from McKethan Stadium in Gainesville, Fla. The game is UK’s last of the season and the last for Head Coach Keith Madison, who has announced that the 2003 season will be his last as the Wildcats’ skipper.
— UK —
