Gator Country

Florida left field Avery Barnes tries to catch a home run ball hit by Brown sophomore Nick Puñal during the top of the six inning of Gators' 11-2 loss to the Bears in the first game of a doubleheader/Gator Country Photo by Tim Casey

What can Brown do for you? Well, if you’re the Florida baseball team, they can flat deliver. The 2007 Ivy League Champions delivered an 11-2 whipping of the Gators in game one of a Saturday double-header at McKethan Stadium.

Sophomore righty Will Weidig (1-1) handcuffed the Florida offense, allowing only five hits and two earned runs through eight innings. He fanned seven Gators along the way. The Katy, Texas native located his pitches extremely well and did a nice job of mixes up his pitches and changing velocity on his pitches. He threw an incredible 127 pitches

The game was scoreless through the first three innings. Florida starter Billy Bullock (1-2) held the Bears to one hit before surrendering the first run in the top of the fourth. Left fielder Ryan Murphy singled to lead off the inning and later scored on designated hitter Conor Reardon singled to drive him home.

The Bears scored an unearned run in the fifth inning to jump out to a 2-0 lead. Bullock struck out shortstop Matt Nuzzo to start the inning. However, Florida shortstop Cole Figueroa misplayed a ball hit by second baseman Ryan Zrenda. Two batters later, first baseman J.J. Eno doubled to send Nuzzo to the plate.
The Gators napped through the game defensively, committing four errors in the contest, with three charged to Figueroa.

Brown added three runs in the sixth inning as Murphy singled, Reardon walked on a 3-2 count, and right fielder Nick Ounal finished things off with a three-run home run. The Bears took command 5-0.

Florida rallied for two runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning. Avery Barnes doubled with one out. Adams singled to give them runners on the corners. Figueroa sacrificed Barnes home for the Gators first run. First baseman Brandon McArthur then walked. Matt den Dekker then drove Adams home for Florida’s second run with a single.

The Bears put things away for good with a four-run eighth in which the Gators committed two critical errors.

The Gators were held to six hits in the game. Barnes led them at the plate with a 2-4 performance.

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