College Roundup: Gators Chomp Seminoles

(Photo: FloridaGators.com)

The venue changed, but the story remained the same. Playing at a neutral site in Jacksonville, Fla., the Florida Gators again exerted their dominance over rival Florida State on Tuesday.

Powered by a three-run home run by catcher Mike Rivera in a four-run first inning, Florida cruised to a 4-1 win over the Seminoles, defeating them for the second time this year and improving to 14-3 against them over the last 17 games of the series. FSU leads the all-time series, 128-114-1.

HOW THE TOP 25 FARED

(1) Oregon State: won, 4-3, at Saint Mary’s

(2) Louisville: won, 11-1, vs. Western Kentucky

(3) Texas Christian: won, 10-2, vs. Texas-Rio Grande Valley

(4) Texas Tech: won, 8-4, vs. Texas Southern

(5) Clemson: won, 8-0, vs. Furman

(6) South Carolina: won, 15-1, at The Citadel

(7) North Carolina: won, 7-6, vs. Coastal Carolina

(8) Florida: won, 4-1, vs. (12) Florida State @ Jacksonville , Fla.

(9) Louisiana State: lost, 7-6, vs. Tulane

(10) Cal State Fullerton: lost, 9-7, at UCLA

(11) Florida Gulf Coast: off

(12) Florida State: lost, 4-1, vs. (8) Florida @ Jacksonville, Fla.

(13) Arizona: off

(14) St. John’s: off

(15) Stanford: won, 7-3, vs. Long Beach State

(16) Kentucky: won, 13-7, vs. Cincinnati

(17) Oklahoma: off

(18) Auburn: won, 4-3, vs. Alabama, @ Montgomery, Ala.

(19) Virginia: off

(20) Mississippi: won, 5-4, vs. Arkansas-Little Rock

(21) Arkansas: off

(22) Baylor: lost, 15-9, Texas-San Antonio

(23) Houston: won, 8-1, vs. Incarnate Word

(24) Wake Forest: won, 5-4, at Appalachian State

(25) East Carolina: won, 8-6, vs. Liberty

Making his first career start, freshman righthander Garrett Milchin provided 4.1 scoreless innings, helping to extend Florida’s scoreless innings streak against FSU to 36. However, the Seminoles finally snapped that streak on an RBI single by right fielder Rhett Aplin in the sixth inning.

“Some things you just can’t explain,” Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan told floridagators.com of the scoreless streak. “Florida State’s got a very good team. They’re very offensive. I think we’ve just pitched really well. I don’t think there’s really one thing I could put my finger on to explain it. We got a great start from Garrett tonight. His sinker was really good. He knows who he is. He pitches at 88-92 and doesn’t try to overthrow. He’s got a good breaking ball and changeup.”

With the win, Florida improved to 17-9 heading into a series at Missouri this weekend. FSU fell to 18-8 and will host No. 7 North Carolina, who defeated reigning national champion Coastal Carolina on Tuesday.

Out west, UCLA continued on its recent hot streak, winning its fifth straight game and doing so in impressive fashion against No. 10 Cal State Fullerton, 9-7. The Titans established an early 5-1 lead, but the Bruins rallied back in an explosive eight-run fourth inning. Junior first baseman Sean Bouchard went 3-for-4 and drove in two for UCLA. With the win, the Bruins got back to .500 on the season, sitting at 11-11.

In Baton Rouge, first-year Tulane head coach Travis Jewett secured his biggest win, as the Green Wave, knocked off No. 9 Louisiana State, 7-6. Senior second baseman Jake Willsey homered twice, and senior outfielder Lex Kaplan added a homer, as well, in the Tulane win.

“Our guys came out swinging again tonight, and I like the way the dust settled,” Tulane head coach Travis Jewett told tulanegreenwave.com. “LSU grabbed five (runs), and the tug of war was on. The ribbon went towards their dugout, and we came right back with two. I thought that was a heck of a response by the players. I think that gave us a lot of life to say, ‘OK we’re right back in this thing and let’s keep moving forward,’ which we did.”

Meanwhile, Jewett’s former team, Vanderbilt secured a 10-0 win over Lipscomb, in which sophomore righthander Chandler Day came within one out of throwing a no-hitter. He’d have to settle for a one-hitter. Junior outfielder Jeren Kendall homered in the win, as the Commodores improved to 17-9 heading into a tough matchup at Kentucky this weekend.

Lastly, the the country’s new No. 1 team, Oregon State, had a bit of a scare at Saint Mary’s, as the Gaels led the matchup, 3-1, heading into the 9th. But the Beavers, as they’ve done all season, found a way to win, rallying for three runs in the final inning. They improved to 21-1 and won their 16th straight game.