Manning, Gators down Aggies to advance to SEC Tournament Final
Timmy Manning started the season as the Sunday starter. Things hadn’t gone his way and the sophomore left-hander hadn’t seen a game mound since April 5. The way the SEC tournament had shaken out, the Florida Gators needed him on Saturday.
They got the best of him.
Manning twirled five-plus scoreless innings and Fisher Jameson closed out the final three innings to send the Gators to their 15th SEC Tournament Championship game.
Manning entered Saturday’s game with a 6.60 ERA. As stated above, he hadn’t pitched since April 5, a one-inning outing against Florida A&M where he allowed three hits and one earned run. In conference play, Manning worked a combined 3.1 innings against Alabama and LSU. He allowed three hits and three earned runs over those 3.1 innings of work.
None of that mattered when Kevin O’Sullivan told Manning he was getting the nod Saturday for the second of two elimination games on the day.
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“I think the story of the game obviously today was pitching,” O’Sullivan said. “Timmy gave us a great start, five scoreless, and then Fisher came in and threw four scoreless to help us save a few arms for tomorrow.
Gators offense provides early support
Florida (39-21, 15-15 SEC) got an early boost from Jud Fabian. The fourth-year junior took a hanging breaking ball over the wall in left field for his 22nd home run of the season. The blast moved him into sole possession of second in the SEC in homers behind teammate, Wyatt Langford.
The Aggies (37-18, 19-11 SEC) went down quietly again in the second. Langford then led off the top of the third with a double to right-center and came in to score on a sacrifice fly to right field by BT Riopelle. The Gators scored at least one run in the every inning from the second to the seventh to extend the lead to 6-0. They made it 9-0 with another run in the ninth inning.
Notes
- Florida advances to its 15th SEC Tournament Championship game.
- The Gators have won the SEC Tournament title seven times (1981, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1991, 2011, 2015).
- Manning made his first pitching appearance in 53 days, blanking No. 5 Texas A&M across a career-high five innings while earning his first career win.
- Manning also tied his career-high with six strikeouts.
- Manning and Jameson combined to shut out Texas A&M, marking the first time all season the Aggies have been held scoreless.
- J. Fabian’s home run moved him into sole possession of second in the SEC with 22 home runs.
- 2022 SEC Home Run Leaders
- 1. Langford (23)
- 2. Fabian (22)
- 2022 SEC Home Run Leaders
- Florida is now 11-13 all-time vs. Texas A&M.
- The Gators are 10-7 vs. the Aggies under Kevin O’Sullivan
- Florida has won nine of the last 13 meetings.
- Florida improved to 75-67 all-time at the SEC Tournament.
- The Gators are 7-2 in Hoover across the last two seasons.
- Florida has won 14 of its last 17 games and 16 of its last 20.
- The Gators surpassed their win total from last season (38), winning their 39th game on Saturday night.
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