Sophomore right-hander Bryan Augenstein (Sebastian, Fla.) notched a career-high 10 strikeouts over 7.1 innings and top-ranked Florida (8-2) banged out 14 hits in a 10-3 win over Ohio State (0-2) on Saturday afternoon at The Pepsi Baseball Classic in front of 3,940 fans at McKethan Stadium. Augenstein scattered eight hits and allowed two unearned runs in running his season ledger to 3-0. Junior David Cash (Odessa, Fla.) was 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI, sophomore Matt Gaski (Greensboro, N.C.) was 3-for-5 and junior Adam Davis (Ft. Myers, Fla.) launched a three-run homer for the Gators.

“In last night’s ball game against Missouri, we played hard the entire time and I think it carried over to today in a lot of ways,” said head coach Pat McMahon. “Ohio State is an outstanding team and can create pressure. I thought Bryan (Augenstein) had a terrific performance for us. We are working hard to become a good team.”

“My goal for this season was to go out on the mound and put my team in position to win every time I step out there,” said Augenstein. “We lost a lot of guys from last year and I knew I had to step up. I trained really hard in the fall and spring to throw as many pitches as I need to.”

The Gators loaded the bases in the first inning with consecutive walks to senior Stephen Barton (Miami, Fla.), Davis and junior Brian Leclerc (Clearwater, Fla.) but scored one run. OSU sophomore Cory Leubke had junior Gavin Dickey (Tallahassee, Fla.) ground into a double play and junior Brian Jeroloman (Wellington, Fla.) struck out to keep the deficit at 1-0.

Although Ohio State put its first two runners aboard in the second, courtesy of a double by junior Ronnie Bourquin and junior Adam Schneider reaching on an error, it did not score. Augenstein rebounded to fan freshman J.B. Shuck and senior Jedidiah Stephen before inducing a grounder by junior Jason Zoeller that forced Schneider at second base for the final out.

UF’s bid for a 2-0 advantage was denied in the second inning, when junior Austin Pride (Longwood, Fla.) was thrown out at the dish by left fielder Jacob Howell trying to score on a two-out single by Gaski.

The Buckeyes threatened again in the third, putting runners on the corners with one out. Sophomore Matt Angle drew a walk and moved into scoring position with a stolen base. After Howell stroked a single into right to advance his teammate, Augenstein whiffed sophomore Eric Fryer and had Bourquin fly out to left.

A pair of Ohio State errors on the same play with two down in the fourth resulted in a 2-0 Florida lead. Dickey walked to start things off and was sacrificed to second by Jeroloman. Freshman Cody Neer’s (Orlando, Fla.) ground ball to short was thrown away and the Buckeye first baseman sailed the relay throw over the catcher’s head, allowing Dickey to come across with the second run.

The Gators loaded the bases with one out in the fifth but could not add to their lead. Gaski legged out a bunt, Davis walked and an infield hit by Leclerc filled the sacks and ended the afternoon for Luebke (4.1 IP, 3 H, 5 BB, 2 K). Junior reliever Trey Fausnaugh caught Dickey looking on strikes and had Jeroloman ground out to first to end the threat.

Florida tacked on two more runs on three hits in the sixth to build a 4-0 advantage. Pride punched a leadoff single to right and moved to second on a passed ball. Cash poked an RBI single, Gaski collected his third hit of the contest and Barton drew a walk to load the bases. Freshman Josh Barrera took over for Fausnaugh (1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R) and fanned Davis for the second out but issued a free pass to Leclerc to bring across the fourth run. With Dickey at bat and the bases full for the third time in the game, Barrera induced a ground ball to force Leclerc at second.

The Buckeyes narrowed the gap to 4-2 in the seventh on three hits and a Gator error. Shuck led off with a single through the left side and Zoeller reached on a throwing miscue to give Ohio State runners on the corners with one out. An infield hit by junior Wes Schirtzinger scored Shuck and Angle’s groundout pushed two runners into scoring position. Another infield hit, this time by Howell, pulled OSU within 4-2. With Schirtzinger perched at third, Howell swiped second. Augenstein answered by striking out Fryer to close the frame. The K was the righty’s ninth of the afternoon, matching his career high.     

The Orange and Blue plated five runs in the bottom of the inning for a 9-2 lead. UF loaded the bases with none out, as Jeroloman singled to left center, Pride’s sacrifice attempt was misplayed and Neer walked. Cash greeted freshman reliever Matthew Selhorst with an RBI single to left before Gaski lined into a 9-6 double play. Senior Greg Quatrino (Tampa, Fla.) lashed a pinch-hit single just out of the third baseman’s reach to give the hosts a 6-2 lead and Davis blasted a three-run shot into the left-field bleachers for his second round-tripper of the campaign and a seven-run margin.    

In the eighth, Bourquin singled up the middle and Schneider was hit by a pitch before Augenstein punched out Shuck for his 10th strikeout. A single to right by Stephen filled the bases and prompted a Florida pitching change. Sophomore Josh Edmondson (LaGrange, Ga.) struck out Zoeller and had Schirtzinger ground out to strand the runners. Jeroloman later lofted a sacrifice fly to center to drive in Dickey with UF’s final run. Ohio State capitalized on two UF errors in the ninth with one run to finalize the 10-3 margin.

The Gators will complete their weekend action by facing Wake Forest at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Freshman J.K. LaCoste (Jacksonville, Fla.) (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will start for the home team.

Game Notes

• Junior first baseman Matt LaPorta missed his second-straight game with a strained oblique muscle.
• Matt Gaski’s previous career high was two hits against Cincinnati on Feb. 10.
• The Gators improved to 6-1 all-time versus Ohio State.
• Three Florida players, Cash, Gaski and Pride, had multiple-hit efforts.

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