Baseball Falls to Top-Ranked Gators
4/18/2012 2:57:00 AM | Baseball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The Georgia Southern Baseball team faced a #1 ranked Florida Gator team for a second-straight season in a mid-week contest but was unable to duplicate the success from a year ago. The Gators struck for eight two-out runs in an 8-2 victory on Tuesday night at McKethan Stadium.
Brian Johnson drove in five of the runs on two extra-base hits to tie his career high for RBIs set earlier this season against Miami. Johnson launched his fifth home run of the season off the scoreboard in right field in the first inning to hand Georgia Southern (22-17) an early three-run deficit. In the seventh inning, he ended any thought of a comeback with a two-out double to extend Florida's (29-8) lead to six runs.
Greg Larson threw three solid innings in a controlled start for the Gators and picked up his fourth win of the season. Larson (4-0) allowed one run on a pair of singles in the third. Michael Burruss (Marietta, Ga.) plated Tyler Avera (Baxley, Ga.), who led off the frame with a base hit, with a blooper that dropped in front of the center fielder.
Starter Lucas Hart (Atlanta, Ga.) lasted just over an inning and gave up three runs in the first inning. Hart (1-1) was tagged with his first career loss after allowing the first inning runs. After a double play ball emptied the bases, the redshirt-freshman right-hander was unable to take advantage of the fresh start and allowed a single to Preston Tucker and a free pass to Mike Zunino before the long ball from Johnson.
Georgia Southern tallied nine hits in the game with four coming from Burruss. The junior outfielder tallied his second four-hit game and the 16th multi-hit game of the season. Burruss singled in all four plate appearances but did not advance past first base in any of his at-bats.
The Eagles did not score their second run of the game until the 9th inning. Hunter Thomas (Johns Creek, Ga.) led off with a single to center field and benefited from a wild pitch to move into scoring position. Thomas later scored on a pinch-hit ground out by Garren Palmer (Dalton, Ga.).
A lead off walk of Fontana in the fifth inning by Josh Stevenson (Social Circle, Ga.) cost Georgia Southern another run after he crossed the plate on a passed ball. Stevenson got a pair of ground outs after the walk but both outs moved Fontana up a base and allowed him to score on the misplayed pitch.
A pair of wild pitches scored Casey Turgeon, who singled with one out, from second base in the sixth inning. Florida added another single run in the eighth inning after a lead off walk reached base. Josh Adams (Bath, S.C.) came close to getting out of the inning with a pair of fly outs but gave up a RBI single to Justin Shafer.
Georgia Southern will remain on the road and in non-conference play at Indiana this weekend. The series with the Hoosiers opens at 3 p.m. on Friday.
All baseball games this season can be heard on the Boomer 103.7 FM and inside J.I. Clements Stadium on 88.1 FM. Audio for all games is also available on the web and subscription video is available for all home games at GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com/Eaglevision.
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