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Plant High's Preston Tucker sets Florida Gators' career record for hits

 
Published May 18, 2012

AUBURN, Ala. — Preston Tucker emphatically set Florida's career hits record Thursday, going 3-for-4 with a two-run homer in a 6-0 victory over Auburn.

The former Plant High standout, tied with Mark Ellis going into the game, has 322 hits. The home run set the record; Tucker also had a double, part of UF's six extra-base hits.

Hudson Randall (7-1) got a complete-game victory, allowing three hits with one walk and three strikeouts. It was the first time the Tigers were shut out this season.

In his past four starts, Randall has defeated No. 17 Arkansas, No. 3 Kentucky, No. 25 Mississippi State and Auburn, and is 4-0 with a 1.88 ERA over 28 2/3 innings.

Florida (39-15, 17-11 SEC) continues the final regular-season series at 7 tonight.

In other SEC action, Mississippi State beat Kentucky 3-1, bringing the Gators to one game behind the Wildcats (41-13, 18-10). LSU (40-13, 17-10) and South Carolina (38-13, 17-9) were rained out and play a doubleheader today in Columbia. The Gamecocks sit atop the league standings by a half-game.

Division II: Top seed and host Tampa was upset by eighth-seeded Stillman 6-5 in 13 innings in the first round of the South Region. The Spartans (38-9) play West Florida at 1:15 today in the double-elimination tournament.

FSU football times

Times for the Seminoles' first four football games have been announced: Sept. 1 vs. Murray State, 6 p.m.; Sept. 8 vs. Savannah State, 6; Sept. 15 vs. Wake Forest, noon; and Nov. 8 at Virginia Tech, 7:30.

alabama, west va. to meet: Alabama will face West Virginia in the Aug. 30, 2014, Kickoff Game at the Georgia Dome. It will be the first meeting between the teams.

alabama fan charged: Alabama fan Brian H. Downing, 32, was charged with sexual battery after authorities said a video showed him performing a simulated sex act on an inebriated, unconscious LSU fan at a fast-food restaurant after the BCS title game in January at New Orleans. An Orleans Parish grand jury indictment charged him with one count each of sexual battery of a male victim and obscenity. Downing was fired after the video was posted online and remains unemployed, his attorney said.

Notre Dame: Quarterback Tommy Rees pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from police subduing him after a party. He is due back in court July 17.

Other sports

WOMEN'S TENNIS: Yale freshman Amber Li (Plant High) won the special contribution award voted by her teammates. She was on the No. 1 doubles team, which earned first team All-Ivy League and helped the Bulldogs to their second straight conference title.

men's golf: FSU was tied for first with Texas at 9-under 279, and Brooks Koepka (5-under 67) was second in the individual standings after the first round of the Southwest Region in Norman, Okla. Jordan Speith of Texas led at 66. FSU junior Doug Letson of Plant High was 1 under through 11 holes then faded to finish at 73 to tie for 27th. … Florida opened East Region play with 11-over 299 and was in 10th, 16 shots behind leader Liberty in Greensboro, N.C. … USF's Trey Valentine shot 2-under 69 to tie for 14th as Southeast Region play began in Athens, Ga.

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odu move: Old Dominion will leave the Colonial Athletic Association for Conference USA, effective July 1, 2013. The school said football was the key factor.