Gators pitcher bounces back in second outing

Posted Mar 10, 2010 by Aaron Oberlin

Updated Mar 12, 2010 at 03:46 PM

There was a different Anthony Desclafani pitching March 10 against Illinois State, far removed from the one who took the mound against Florida State on March 2.

How far removed?

Compare 5.1 innings, 0 runs and 6 strikeouts against the Redbirds to 0 innings and 5 runs against the No. 3 Seminoles.

The outings couldn’t be any more diametric of each other.

A seven-run first-inning slaughter against FSU (12-0) gave the No. 6 Gators (9-2) their first loss of the season. They never bounced back in that game, losing 10-5.

UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan couldn’t offer a reason for the disparity in Desclafani’s starts.

“For whatever it was, I don’t know if he was anxious or if he was nervous,” said O’Sullivan. “He was really anxious to get back out there, and I didn’t want to sit him any longer. It’s good to see him get back out there.”

The sophomore pitcher’s recent effort, however, held off the Redbirds on a night when the Gators struggled to post runs early in the game.

When he left the game in the sixth inning, he walked off the field with a 2-0 lead. 

In that same inning, freshman first baseman Austin Maddox hit a grand slam home run to open the game up 6-0. He hit a three-run home run the night before to extend the Gators lead to 5-2, solidifying their 8-2 victory.

What might be most impressive about the night – other than the combination of hitting and pitching – is that the Gators gave up just two hits.

Florida’s Steven Rodriguez gave up a double in the sixth inning to sophomore second baseman Kevin Tokarski, who also got a hit to centerfield in the first inning.

The Gators’ starting pitching has been stellar this season, allowing more than two runs just twice – the only games they lost.

Desclafani’s positive performance comes just in time, as the Gators enter Southeastern Conference play March 19 after a rematch against the Seminoles on March 16.