It was just about the perfect start for the Florida baseball team on opening weekend.
In a two-day, three-game series, the No. 10 Gators made quick work of Air Force to start their season 3-0.
It all started off on Friday night, when under the bright lights of Condron Family Ballpark, the Gators crushed the Falcons 7-0.
The dominance came from the mound, where UF sophomore starting pitcher Liam Peterson made his most commanding start of his collegiate career thus far.
The righty presided over the mound for six innings, recording 11 strikeouts while only giving up two hits.
His superior performance earned him some high praise postgame from Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan.
“I mean, you never know what to expect Opening Day, but hopefully, starts like this continue for him [Peterson], and hopefully, he shows the maturation and the hard work he’s put in,” O’Sullivan said.
Meanwhile, the Gator bats made their mark during the third and fifth innings, respectively.
The third was a four-run frame for the Gators, which began with a solo shot from junior designated hitter Brady Donay.
Singles by senior third baseman Bobby Boser and junior second baseman Cade Kurland would score the remaining three runs of the inning.
In the fifth, Kurland singled again to drive in his third run of the day, while a walk with the bases loaded and a fielder’s choice would score the remaining two runs.
With the momentum from an excellent Friday performance, UF headed into what became a doubleheader Saturday due to the potential of severe weather on Sunday.
In the first game of the doubleheader, redshirt sophomore pitcher Jake Clemente made his first-career weekend start, pitching six innings and only surrendering two earned runs while striking out a career-best eight batters.
He was relieved by sophomore right-handed Luke McNeillie, who finished off the remaining three innings of the bout.
The Gator bats were the story in the matchup, with four different Gators hitting home runs and three having multi-RBI games.
Junior shortstop Colby Shelton led the way with three RBIs, two of which came off a home run in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Meanwhile, Boser and Donay both drove in two runs, respectively, in the victory.
O’Sullivan was extremely impressed by the latters’ performance throughout the weekend.
“What can you say about Brody Donay? He had a terrific weekend,” said O’Sullivan.
The Gators’ best all-around performance of the weekend, however, might have come in the final bout.
UF run-ruled Air Force in seven innings, winning 11-1.
The star of the show was redshirt junior southpaw Pierce Coppola, who made his first opening weekend start since his freshman season.
Coppola was practically unhittable in five innings, as he struck out 12 of the 18 batters he faced while only allowing one hit.
The 12 strikeouts were a career-high for Coppola and the most by a UF starter since Hurston Waldrep’s 12-strikeout performance against Oral Roberts at the 2023 College World Series.
The performance carried significatant meaning, as it came after his two years of recovery from major back and shoulder injuries.
“He’s worked so hard to get back to this point,” said O’Sullivan. “No one’s a bigger fan for him than I am. I’ve known exactly what he has had to go through, two major surgeries.”
At the plate, the Gators were equally as dominant. Donay hit his third home run in three consecutive games, while UF’s offense put up a seven-run 5th inning to ice the game.
Alongside Donay, sophomore right fielder Hayden Yost added two RBIs, while junior center fielder Justin Nadeau had a three-hit, three RBI performance in the outing.
Overall, it was a dominant weekend for the Gators, who outscored the Falcons 28-5 in the series.
“Obviously, a step in the right direction and certainly an improvement from last year,” said O’Sullivan. “I’m excited about it and looking forward to getting back on the field on Tuesday.”
