GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The
William and Mary baseball team fell in a rain shortened series finale Sunday
afternoon to No. 1 ranked Florida, 5-3.
In the top of the sixth the game was called due to heavy rain. The setback drops W&M to 2-5 overall,
while Florida improves to 7-1 on the year.
Freshman Michael Katz went 3-for-3 and recorded his first
collegiate home run in the top of the sixth.
Junior Kevin Nutter had a solid outing as the Vienna, Va., native went
2-for-3 with a run scored.
Freshman Jason Inghram (0-2) took the loss, while Florida's
Steven Rodriguez (2-0) earned the victory.
The Tribe got on the scoreboard early with a run in the top
of the first. Nutter led the inning off
with a single to center field. With two
outs and Nutter on second, a Katz single to center plated Nutter and gave the
College a 1-0 lead.
Florida responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the
third. With one out and a runner on
second, Florida's Nolan Fontana homered to right field, which gave the Gators
the lead at 2-1.
W&M answered right back with a game tying run in the top
of the fourth. Senior Tadd Bower led the
inning off with a base-on-balls and advanced all the way to third after senior
catcher Chris Forsten reached base on a fielder's choice. Bower then advanced home after Rodriguez was
called for a balk. As then inning came
to a close, the Tribe and Gators were knotted up in a 2-2 tie.
In the bottom half of the inning, Florida tacked on two runs
and took a 4-2 lead. In the fifth,
Florida added another run and thru five innings of play the Gators held a 5-2
advantage.
The College got the momentum rolling in the top of the sixth
after Katz led the frame off with a solo shot to right field. After the Gators recorded two consecutive
outs, the torrential down pours turned McKethan Stadium into a swamp, which
made the field unplayable. As a result
of the conditions, the game was called, and Florida was credited with the 5-3
win.
The Tribe returns to the friendly confines of Plumeri
Park to face instate foe VMI on Tuesday, Feb. 28. First pitch is slated for 4
p.m. It will mark the start of the five-game homestand as the College opens a
four-game series with NYIT on Friday, March 2.
