TicketsFeb. 11, 2006
GAINESVILLE, Fla.---Florida sophomore Bryan Augenstein carried a perfect game into the eighth inning and the Gators scored five runs in the third to pull away from Cincinnati and hand the Bearcats a 10-4 defeat on Saturday night at McKethan Stadium. The top-ranked Gators have now won the first two games of the season-opening series for both squads.
Augenstein, who threw just 16 innings all of last year, struck out nine before leaving after allowing two singles in the ninth. Brian Szarmach put an end to the perfect game with two out in the seventh when he drove a single through the right side. After Augenstein's departure, Cincinnati got to Florida's preseason All-American closer Darren O'Day for four runs to close to the final deficit.
The ninth inning got off to a good start for the Bearcats (0-2) as Nick Maragas and Adam Yeager reached on singles. O'Day came out of the Gator bullpen to face pinch-hitter Adam Calez and the sophomore lined a double over right fielder Brian Leclerc's head to drive in UC's first run of the year. Josh Harrison picked up an RBI on a groundout and one out later, Logan Parker drove a double to deep center to plate Calez. Cory Hodskins was next and his single brought Parker in to score. After Szarmach's second hit of the game, Jack Nelson flew out to left to end the game.
Cincinnati starter Kyle Rapp (0-1) got through the first two innings unscathed, but the Gator bats came alive with a five-run third inning. Adam Davis provided the first big hit of the inning when he ripped a two-run homer to left. One out after a Brandon McArthur single, Brian Jeroloman had his chance at the plate and he responded with an opposite field home run off the left field foul pull. Florida added one more run in the inning when Leclerc scampered home on a Cincinnati error.
Florida got one more run in the fifth, Rapp's last inning of action, when Stephen Barton picked up an RBI fielder's choice that scored Jeroloman. Florida tacked on one more in the seventh on a Barton RBI single against A.J. Upton. The scoring rounded out in the eighth with three more Gator runs. Chris Petrie knocked a single through the right side to plate two runs and David Cash's fielder's choice pushed Florida's lead to 10-0.
Augenstein's line was impressive in his first career start, as he allowed two runs on three hits with no walks and nine strikeouts in eight plus innings of work. Rapp yielded only four hits in five innings, but allowed six runs (four earned), due in part to three walks, three hit by pitch and a throwing error.
UC will once again look for its first win of the year, as the series at Florida concludes on Sunday at noon. The Gators have yet to name a starter for the game, while UC will start Florida-native Glen Simon.