Gators Bounced From Regional Play With Another Loss to ECU

The Florida Gators saw their season end Sunday, falling to ECU 11-4. This was their second loss in the regional to ECU. 

It was an ugly start for the Gators starter Sunday morning. Lefty Pierce Coppola struggled with his command, allowing the Pirates to load the bases. Luckily for the Gators, he got out of it without any runs crossing the home plate. 

However, they weren’t as fortunate in the second. Coppola’s struggles continued as he loaded the bases once again. He then gave up a single and a passed ball to give ECU a 2-0 lead.

Florida rebounded with a run in the top of the third. Third baseman Landon Stripling doubled to left-center field and was then brought home by second baseman Justin Nadeau on a single to center that cut the two-run deficit in half. 

In the bottom half of the third, Coppola’s day ended. While he started the frame, he issued a leadoff walk, which caused Gators head coach Kevin O'Sullivan to make a call to the bullpen for righty Billy Barlow. Coppola finished the day pitching two innings with two runs (one earned) on three walks and three hits while striking out five. 

That leadoff walk came back to haunt Florida as well. Back-to-back singles from ECU brought that base runner home. This single was followed by a double to score two more and chase Barlow out of the game. 

Florida’s struggle on the mound from these two forced O’Sullivan to go to his closer Jake Clemente earlier than he would have wanted. 

Clemente began just as badly as the other two, though. He hit the first batter, gave up a single to the second and a double to the third he faced for two more runs. By the end of the frame, ECU led 7-1. 

Then, in the fourth, the Pirates tagged him for another run on a solo shot to left field. 

Florida finally started to get things back on track in the sixth. 

The offense loaded the bases with zero outs via three walks to begin the inning. Designated hitter Ty Evans capitalized on this opportunity with a sharp grounder to the ECU second baseman Braden Burress, who couldn’t field it cleanly. This error from the Pirates brought home two runs. Catcher Brody Donay scored another on a grounder to the shortstop, but that was it. 

That would be the last run the Gators scored in this contest, but not for ECU. The Pirates added one in the sixth and two more in the eighth.

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