Florida bullpen implodes against Miami, wastes Waldrep’s 14 Ks
The Florida Gators wasted a dominant performance from Southern Miss transfer Hurston Waldrep Saturday night in a 14-6 loss to the Miami Hurricanes.
Waldrep continued a masterful start to his Gators career, setting a new personal high of 14 strikeouts through six-plus innings, but he didn’t earn a decision because of another bad outing from Florida’s bullpen.
The Southern Miss transfer cruised through the first two innings of the game and struck out five of the first seven batters he faced. He gave up his first home run of the season in the third and then worked his way out of jams in each of the next two innings. Waldrep gave up another big fly in the sixth to freshman Blake Cyr, but the Gators still had the lead heading into the final third of the game up 6-3.
Unfortunately, the seventh was a bit of a disaster for Florida. Waldrep hit the leadoff man and gave up a single before exiting the game, and both of the runs ended up scoring as the Gators worked their way through three relief pitchers, Nick Ficarrotta, Ryan Slater and Fisher Jamerson, to get out of the inning with a 6-6 tie.
Florida had a chance to bounce back immediately after loading the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh for Jac Caglianone, who already had two home runs on the night, but Miami freshman Chris Scinta got out of the inning without giving the lead back to UF.
The Hurricanes wouldn’t be denied in the eighth either. Jameson gave up a leadoff home run and loaded the bases before handing the ball over to Clete Hartzog, who gave up three runs on a walk and a double while striking out the side.
The bullpen implosion led to Carsten Finnvold getting a chance to pitch, which is a move likely designed to preserve arms for Sunday. The plan worked, but it cost the soft-throwing lefty some dignity. Finnvold loaded the bases without recording an out and gave up another run on a sacrifice fly.
Cyr hit his second home run of the night, a three-run shot, to put the Hurricanes up 14-6, and it’s hard to believe that this is the same game Waldrep started with 14 strikeouts through six innings. Finnvold finally got out of the top of the ninth, and Florida went down without a fight, tying up the series.
Waldrep deserved the spotlight in this one, but the bullpen stole it from him with an awful performance.
Florida and Miami will face off in a rubber match Sunday at noon.
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