Florida Defeats Bethune-Cookman 13-1

The Florida baseball team (44-17) opened NCAA Regional play with a 13-1 win over Bethune-Cookman (38-21) in the night cap at McKethan Stadium. Florida advances to play defending national champion Miami at approximately 3:30 p.m. tomorrow.

Florida's Ryan Shealy opened the scoring in the first inning with his RBI single into shallow right field to score Pat Osborn from second. The Gators added a run in the second. A Mark Kiger single loaded the bases with one out. The Wildcats were able to hold off a Florida run momentarily as Aaron Davison was safe on the fielder's choice and Brian Rose was thrown out at the plate. Osborn drew the bases loaded walk to score Matt Goss for the 2-0 lead. Jose Vasquez brought the Florida lead to only one with his lead off home run in the bottom of the fourth. He grabbed the first pitch offered him by Florida pitcher Keith Ramsey and took it over the centerfield fence. The bases were loaded after an error and two consecutive walks with only one out when designated hitter Matt Maley stepped up to the plate. In his first start of the season, Maley drove a grand slam, the Gators' fourth of the year, out of the park to lift Florida to a 6-1 lead. Travis Johnson came in to replace Bethune-Cookman starter Carlos Motes de Oca in the bottom of the fifth inning. Osborn drove a line drive to the pitcher that went off Johnson's glove and into left field. The hit allowed Mark Kiger and Aaron Davidson to score and gave Florida a 8-1 lead in the bottom of the fith with only one out. The Gators added to the lead as Osborn crossed the plate on a bases loaded walk to David Kelbonis. Rose hit a RBI single to score Shealy, but Ben Harrison was thrown out at the plate to end the inning with the Gators leading 10-1. Florida added three more runs in the seventh. Osborn led off with a double and scored on on the second consecutive double of the inning. This one by Ryan Shealy. Shealy scored on Ben Harrison's RBI single. Jeff Corsaletti hit a sacrifice fly deep into right field to score Harrison for the 13-1 Florida lead. Florida pitcher Keith Ramsey left the game in the top of the eighth. He was replaced by Tommy Boss. Ramsey gave up only one earned run on five hits and struck out eight with only three walks in seven innings of work. Bethune-Cookman got two runners on in the top of the ninth, but the Gators turned the double play to end the game. Ramsey earned the win for Florida. His record moves to 9-3 on the season. The Wildcats starting pitcher, Montes. Was credited with the loss, moving his record to 10-3. The Wildcats will play Florida International at 12 p.m. Saturday in the first game of the day. Florida's game is scheduled to start 40 miuntes after the end of the first game. Game officials are estimating a 3:30 p.m. first pitch time, but it could change depending on how quickly the first game is played.