GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The William & Mary baseball team fell to No. 2 Florida 8-1 in the middle game of a three game series on Saturday afternoon in Gainesville, Fla. With the decision the Tribe falls to 0-2, while the Gators improve to 2-0.
 
Senior Ryder Miconi paced the Tribe offense with two hits, going 2-for-4. Classmate Matthew Tilley drove in the Green and Gold's lone run on the afternoon. W&M collected six hits, but stranded 10 runners on base.
 
Once again, William & Mary struck first with a run in the top of the second. Miconi led off the inning with a single, before classmate Charles Ameer was a hit by a pitch. After a fielder's choice retired Ameer, Tilley grounded out but it was enough to score Miconi making it 1-0 Tribe.
 
Florida wasted little time and scored two of its own in the home half of the inning. JJ Schwarz singled up the middle to start the rally. After an out, Nelson Maldonado walked, before a wild pitch advanced both runners. After the second out, Ryan Larson singled through the left side clearing the bases and giving UF a 2-1 advantage.
 
After escaping a two-out bases loaded jam, the Gators tacked on three more in the bottom of the third inning. Back-to-back singles from Dalton Guthrie and Deacon Liput started the rally. The next batter, Jonathan India singled into right to plating the first run. After a balk moved the runners up 90 feet, productive RBI outs from Schwarz and Mike Rivera made it 5-1.
 
UF tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Back-to-back singles from India and Schwarz started the rally, but a fielder's choice kept runners at first and second with an out. Keenan Bell, who came on as pinch hitter, singled into left plating Schwarz.
 
The Gators added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth with a homer. With two outs, Liput doubled to left center field setting the table. India followed with a homer to make it 8-1.
 
Sophomore Bodie Sheehan was saddled with the loss for the Tribe. He tossed 4.1 innings, allowing five runs on six hits, while striking out three. Freshman Jamie Sara, who made his Tribe debut, scattered four hits over two innings, allowing a run, and striking out one.
 
Brady Singer was credited with the win for the Gators. He went 5.0 innings allowing one run on three hits, and fanned six. Offensively, India and Schwarz led the way with three hits apiece, while India drove in three.
 
The series concludes with the finale tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 19, at 1 p.m. W&M returns to Williamsburg as they host Lafayette for their home opening series at Plumeri Park. The set starts on Friday, Feb. 24 at 4 p.m.