1 » Florida Gators freshman sprinter and junior running back Jeff Demps is fast. So fast, in fact, that the 10.11-second 100-meter dash he ran at the 66th Pepsi Florida Relays on Friday afternoon at Percy Beard Track is the fastest run in the world so far in 2010 (and it is not even the best time he has run in his life – 10.01 in high school. Demps won the 60-meter dash national title at the 2010 NCAA Indoor Championships and is hoping to add more titles to his resume in the outdoor season.

2 » ESPN sideline reporter and former Florida dazzler Erin Andrews, who is currently a contestant on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, has been the subject of death threats since the end of March, according to CNN. Andrews’ attorney, Marshall B. Grossman, says that radio talk show host Dan Patrick has been sent several threatening e-mails about Andrews beginning in September. The e-mails “were of a sexual nature but then turned violent” recently, according to Grossman. The FBI is already on the case and has identified the sender of the e-mails, per the Los Angeles Times.

Two more BITS on…No. 8/11 baseball, No. 3 women’s tennis and No. 6 men’s tennis all defeating Vanderbilt on Friday. Read more about these results…after the jump!

Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Demps is fast, Andrews’ death threats

Tags: Alex Panteliodis, Alexandre Lacroix, Allie Will, Anastasia Revzina, Antoine Benneteau, baseball, Currey Tennis Center, Dancing with the Stars, dazzlers, Erin Andrews, Jeff Barfield, Jeff Demps, Joey Burkhardt, Kevin Chapman, Lauren Embree, Linder Stadium, Marrit Boonstra, Matt den Dekker, McKethan Stadium, National Championship, NCAA, NCAA Indoor Championships, Pepsi Florida Relays, Percy Beard Track, Ring Tennis Complex, Sekou Bangoura, tennis, Vanderbilt Commodores

1 » Avoiding a scare Wednesday, No. 2/5 Florida Gators baseball (17-3) came back from an 8-0 deficit in the second inning to score 13 unanswered runs and defeat the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (12-7) 13-8. Now on a six-game winning streak, the Gators are continuing to crush the ball from behind the plate. Senior outfielder Matt den Dekker (2-3, four RBI) tagged a three-run shot with two outs in the fourth inning, and sophomore junior second baseman Josh Adams (2-5) joined him with a two-run homer in the same inning. Freshman shortstop Nolan Fontana was 3-5 with three runs and two RBI, and Florida’s bullpen ended the game with seven shutout innings.

2 » Continuing to impress in their inaugural season, Gators lacrosse (6-3, 0-1 ALC) took down the Cornell Big Red (2-5, 1-1 IVY) 10-5 at Donald R. Dizney Stadium Wednesday night. Florida used a 5-1 second-half to expand on its 5-4 halftime lead. Freshman attacker Ashley Bruns, the women’s lacrosse Rookie of the Week, once again led the team with three goals.

Tags: Ashley Bruns, baseball, Cornell Big Red, Dizney Stadium, Florida Gulf Coast, Josh Adams, lacrosse, Matt den Dekker, Nolan Fontana, Rookie of the Week

Squaring off for the second of four times over the course of the season, No. 6/8 Florida Gators baseball (13-3) avenged a 10-5 loss on March 2 in Tampa, FL, taking down the No. 5/4 Florida State Seminoles (13-3) 8-5 at McKethan Stadium in Gainesville, FL.

Freshman starter Hudson Randall was knocked around for five runs in the game’s first two innings with his biggest mistake coming on a three-run home run by FSU outfielder Mike McGee in the top of the first. Florida responded with a two-run shot by junior second baseman Josh Adams in the bottom of the inning, but Randall would give those back in the top of the next frame. He would eventually settle down and pitch two shutout innings before being pulled.

The Gators’ answered back with a run in the third and three more in the fourth to permanently take the lead. Sophomore Nick Mardone (1-0) picked up the win with two hitless innings in relief as junior closer Kevin Chapman (S3) continued his hot streak by grabbing a three-inning save.

The top of Florida’s order – senior OF Matt den Dekker (3-5), Adams (2-4) and sophomore first baseman Preston Tucker (2-3) – combined to go 7-12 with seven RBI and four runs. Freshman OF Kamm Washington went 3-3 in the eight hole, scoring every time he stepped on base.

Gators baseball will continue its 11-game home stand with a three-game series against the Mississippi State Bulldogs to open Southeastern Conference play. The series begins Fri., March 19 and continues through the weekend.

Photo Credit: Tricia Coyne/Gainesville Sun

Tags: baseball, Florida State Seminoles, Hudson Randall, Josh Adams, Kamm Washington, Kevin Chapman, Matt den Dekker, McKethan Stadium, Mike McGee, Nick Mardone, Preston Tucker

1 » No. 6/7 Florida Gators baseball (10-2) began its series against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers (5-9) with a 6-0 win Friday night at McKethan Stadium in Gainesville, FL. Sophomore starter Alex Panteliodis (4-0) tossed a career-high seven innings, striking out five in the outing. Florida notched consecutive shutout victories for the first time since 1995. A five-run second inning was highlighted by back-to-back two-out home runs by freshman catcher Mike Zunino (3-3, two RBI) and senior outfielder Matt den Dekker. Florida has decided to add a game against Army to its schedule on Monday, March 15 at 6:30 p.m.

2 » No. 3 women’s and No. 4 men’s track and field combined for five All-America honors on the first day of the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships on Friday. The men are in second-place (four points off the lead), while the women are in 14th. Four qualifying marks/times were achieved by the men, including freshman sprinter and sophomore running back Jeff Demps, who achieved a school-record time of 6.56 seconds in the 60-meter dash.

Two more BITS on tennis’ two wins and men’s golf’s lead…after the jump!
Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Baseball, tennis win; golf leads; track

Tags: Alex Panteliodis, Alexandre Lacroix, All-America, Allie Will, Antoine Benneteau, Auburn Tigers, baseball, Charleston Southern Buccaneers, field, Jeff Demps, Lauren Embree, Linder Stadium, Marrit Boonstra, Matt den Dekker, McKethan Stadium, Mike Zunino, Ring Tennis Complex, Southern Highlands Collegiate Masters, tennis, track, Tyson Alexander, Yarbrough Tennis Center

No. 5/7 Florida Gators baseball (5-0) continues to roll through opponents in 2010, taking down the Siena Saints (1-4) 13-3 Thursday night at McKethan Stadium in Gainesville, FL. Redshirt sophomore pitcher Tommy Toledo (1-0, 2.16 ERA), more than a year removed from shoulder surgery, tossed a career-high seven strikeouts over five innings while giving up just three hits and two runs in the victory.

Senior outfielder Matt den Dekker (.500) had a career-high four hits in the outing, extending his hitting streak to 14 games. Adding to den Dekker’s production were freshman catcher Austin Maddox and sophomore OF Tyler Thompson, who each went 3-3 with two RBI and a run. Sophomore designated hitter Ben McMahan added a 3-5 performance with a home run, two RBI and two runs, while freshman shortstop Nolan Fontana jacked a homer of his own to left field in the fifth inning.

Florida tagged Siena pitcher Robert Tedesco for seven earned runs in 3.1 innings of work; they also dominated replacement Ryan Poplawski with six earned runs in 4.2 innings of relief. The Gators will open up a three-game series against the La Salle Explorers with a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. The third game of the series will be played Sunday at noon.

Tags: Austin Maddox, baseball, Ben McMahan, Matt den Dekker, McKethan Stadium, Nolan Fontana, Siena Saints, Tommy Toledo, Tyler Thompson

Off to a strong start in 2010, No. 5/7 Florida Gators baseball (4-0) held on for a 7-6 win over the Central Florida Knights (3-1) Wednesday night at McKethan Stadium. Up 7-0 at the end of the sixth inning, Florida relievers allowed UCF consecutive three-run innings in the seventh and eighth before closing it out in the top of the ninth.

Read the rest along with women’s basketball and men’s tennis news…
Continue Reading » Florida baseball holds on to defeat UCF 7-6

Tags: baseball, Bob Van Overbeek, Bryson Smith, Central Florida Knights, Chris Duffy, Freshman of the Week, Greg Larson, Hudson Randall, Josh Adams, Kevin Chapman, Matt den Dekker, McKethan Stadium, Memorial Gymnasium, Mike Zunino, Nick Mardone, SEC, tennis, Vanderbilt Commodores, women's basketball

Defeating the South Florida Bulls 6-2 Friday night in its 2010 season opener, No. 7/9 Florida Gators baseball had the task of facing them two more times before the weekend was out. Florida (3-0) followed through, taking down USF (0-3) 9-1 on Saturday and coming from three runs down to win 7-6 in extra innings Sunday at McKethan Stadium.

Read all of the details about each game and plenty more after the break!
Continue Reading » Baseball completes three-game sweep of USF

Tags: Austin Maddox, baseball, Brian Johnson, Josh Adams, Kamm Washington, Matt den Dekker, McKethan Stadium, Mike Zunino, Preston Tucker, South Florida Bulls, Tyler Thompson

Home runs rocketed out of McKethan Stadium Friday night as No. 7/9 Florida Gators baseball (1-0) opened its 2010 season with a 6-2 win against the South Florida Bulls (0-1). Junior second baseman Josh Adams went 3-3 and powered the Gators with two homers and four RBI, while redshirt sophomore pitcher Tommy Toledo started for 3.1 innings after sitting out the entire 2009 campaign with a torn labrum in his right shoulder.

Read the rest of Friday night’s baseball game story after the jump!
Continue Reading » Florida baseball takes down USF in season opener

Tags: Alex Panteliodis, Austin Maddox, baseball, Greg Larson, Josh Adams, Matt den Dekker, McKethan Stadium, Preston Tucker, South Florida Bulls, Tommy Toledo