Spring Break
Friday's baseball game suspended until Saturday
MICHAEL FITZPATRICK
Issue date: 5/2/09 Section: Sports
Whenever Georgia and Florida meet in any sport, expect the unexpected, and Friday's baseball game between the two gave that saying a whole new meaning.
It was a game that included everything but a final result, as the teams went into a rain delay in the bottom of the ninth with the game tied and the winning run on first base for Georgia.
The game had been temporally suspended and will be completed 30 minutes after the completion of Saturday's regularly scheduled game beginning at 1 p.m.
Georgia starter Trevor Holder got himself into big trouble in the opening frame as the first three Gators reached base to load the bases with no outs. But Holder pulled an escape act that Houdini would envy as he induced cleanup hitter Josh Adams to pop to second, then got Matt den Dekker to ground into a fielder's choice before striking out Brandon McArthur to emerge unscathed.
In the bottom of the inning, Georgia also loaded the bases with no outs, but unlike Florida, it capitalized on its splendid scoring opportunity.
Designated hitter Bryce Massanari unloaded on the first pitch he saw from Gator hurler Stephen Locke for a mammoth grand slam the left field to give the Diamond Dogs a 4-0 lead. They added another runs on a gutsy two-out bunt from second baseman Miles Starr and a Matt Cerione single to center, to give the Dogs a commanding 6-0 edge after one.
The following inning, Locke, much to the displeasure of the Georgia faithful, hit Massanari in the back to bring up catcher Joey Lewis. Like Massanari, Lewis hammered Locke's first pitch to the parking lot in left field and built Georgia's lead to a seemingly insurmountable 8-0.
The game was far from over, however, as slowly but surely the Gators chipped away at the Georgia lead. They added one run in the third, three in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth to trim the lead to 8-7.
Holder surrendered six runs on four home runs to four different Florida batters, the most he has allowed in a single start this season.
Georgia extended its lead to 9-7 in the seventh on a single to left field by Levi Hyams that scored Lewis who had doubled.
Florida quickly answered in the following inning as it tied the game against closer Dean Weaver, who blew his second straight save.
It was a game that included everything but a final result, as the teams went into a rain delay in the bottom of the ninth with the game tied and the winning run on first base for Georgia.
The game had been temporally suspended and will be completed 30 minutes after the completion of Saturday's regularly scheduled game beginning at 1 p.m.
Georgia starter Trevor Holder got himself into big trouble in the opening frame as the first three Gators reached base to load the bases with no outs. But Holder pulled an escape act that Houdini would envy as he induced cleanup hitter Josh Adams to pop to second, then got Matt den Dekker to ground into a fielder's choice before striking out Brandon McArthur to emerge unscathed.
In the bottom of the inning, Georgia also loaded the bases with no outs, but unlike Florida, it capitalized on its splendid scoring opportunity.
Designated hitter Bryce Massanari unloaded on the first pitch he saw from Gator hurler Stephen Locke for a mammoth grand slam the left field to give the Diamond Dogs a 4-0 lead. They added another runs on a gutsy two-out bunt from second baseman Miles Starr and a Matt Cerione single to center, to give the Dogs a commanding 6-0 edge after one.
The following inning, Locke, much to the displeasure of the Georgia faithful, hit Massanari in the back to bring up catcher Joey Lewis. Like Massanari, Lewis hammered Locke's first pitch to the parking lot in left field and built Georgia's lead to a seemingly insurmountable 8-0.
The game was far from over, however, as slowly but surely the Gators chipped away at the Georgia lead. They added one run in the third, three in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth to trim the lead to 8-7.
Holder surrendered six runs on four home runs to four different Florida batters, the most he has allowed in a single start this season.
Georgia extended its lead to 9-7 in the seventh on a single to left field by Levi Hyams that scored Lewis who had doubled.
Florida quickly answered in the following inning as it tied the game against closer Dean Weaver, who blew his second straight save.
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