Gators Sweep Weekend Matchup Against FGCU

Gainesville, Fla -The No. 1 ranked Florida Gator baseball team ended their weekend long series against Florida Gulf Coast with a 12-3 win, sweeping the series with the Eagles 3-0.

The Gators came out of the gate strong putting up four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Mike Rivera singled to right field advancing Buddy Reed and Dalton Guthrie home. The next two runs came when Deacon Liput doubled to right center with two RBI sending Mike Rivera and JJ Schwarz home.

Pitcher Alex Faedo held his ground with 1-2-3 innings through the fourth until having a rocky top of the fifth. Nick Blasucci doubled down the right field line advancing Corey Fehribach home, putting one run on the board for FGCU. Faedo got back into the grove striking out Gage Morey with runners on second and third. Tyler Selesky grounded out to third base where Jonathan India made an impressive defensive play from third base ending the inning.

Faedo started the sixth inning matching a career high with seven strikeouts. Head coach Kevin O’Sullivan believes Faedo was hard on himself, but he did an amazing job on the mound. Shortly after Faedo would be relieved by Nick Horvath, who ended the inning with 12 pitches on the mound.

Pitcher Sean Anderson would have his debut on the mound in the top of the seventh where he struck out the first up to bat. A second great defensive play of the evening came from shortstop Dalton Guthrie preventing the ball from going down the middle with a quick slide, grab, and flip over to Liput getting the out. Liput says Deacon is amazing at his position and is a regular of keeping the ball infield when it comes his way.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Gators extended their lead to 10-1 with troubled pitching from the Eagles relief staff. Guthrie was able to steal his second base of the evening and Danny Reyes, making is season debut, hit the ball through to center field.

Freshman Jackson Kowar, making his season debut on the mound in the top of the 8th, brought his best, striking out Nick Rivera swinging. Deacon Liput says the speed of his pitch was amazing and no one saw it coming.

The Gators then scored its final two runs as Mark Kolozsvary banged a home run out of the park bringing extending the Gators lead to 12-3. Scott Moss then closed out the win on the mound. O’Sullivan says he plans to utilize Moss through the remainder of the season.

Up next, the Gators will host Eastern Michigan in the first of a two game series Tuesday starting at 7 p.m. The back end of the series will be Wednesday in Lakeland, FL at Joker Marchant Stadium. Hear live coverage on ESPN Gainesville 95.3 FM starting at 6:55 p.m.