GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The William & Mary baseball team battled until the last out, but fell to No. 2 Florida 11-6 in the series finale in Gainesville, Fla. on Sunday afternoon. With the decision, the Tribe falls to 0-3, while the Gators improve to 3-0.
 
Junior Cullen Large led the Tribe offense with two hits and an RBI. Seniors Charles Ameer (2) and Ryder Miconi also drove in runs for the Green and Gold.
 
Florida jumped out to an early 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Dalton Guthrie led off the inning with a double, before two flyouts from Deacon Liput and Jonathan India plated Guthrie.
 
W&M threatened in the top of the second inning, but couldn't muster a run. Sophomore Hunter Smith led off the inning with a single, and moved to second as Miconi reached on an error. The runners each moved up a base, but Florida got a fly out, groundout, and strikeout to end the frame.
 
The Gators made the Tribe pay as they rallied for six runs in the bottom of the second inning. Mike Rivera led of the frame with a single, which was followed by a homer from Austin Langworthy. Keenan Bell and Christian Hicks restarted the rally with back-to-back singles, putting runners on the corners. After an out and a Bell stolen base, Guthrie reached on an error that allowed the third run of the frame to score. Liput continued the rally has he belted the second homer of the inning over the right field wall, making it 7-0.
 
A two-out rally plated two more runs for UF in the bottom of the fourth inning. After an out, Guthrie reached on an infield single, but W&M got the second out of the inning. Jonathan India was hit by pitch, before JJ Schwarz walked, loading the bases. Rivera singled up the middle, plating two runs.
 
W&M got on the board with three runs in the top of the sixth inning. With one out, freshman Brandon Raquet reached on a throwing error, before junior Ryan Hall walked, and then was lifted for a pinch runner, freshman Matthew Trehub. Large followed with a double to right plating the first run of the game for the Tribe. Trehub and Large would come around to score on a wild pitch and passed ball.
 
Florida's third homer of the game added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Langworthy led off the inning with a ground-rule double. The next batter, Bell, homered over the right field wall to make it 11-3.
 
The Tribe didn't go quietly and struck for three more runs in the top of the eighth inning. Brandon Raquet led off the inning with a walk. After an out, Large singled through the right side putting runners on the corners. Miconi continued with a single into center field that plated the first run of the inning. Ameer followed with a double down the left field line to clear the bases, and cutting the lead to 11-6.
 
Senior Daniel Powers was charged with the loss for the Green and Gold. He tossed two innings allowing seven runs (six earned) on six hits. Freshmen Wade Strain and Michael Goldak as well as senior John Yoest each held Florida scoreless in their appearances.
 
Jackson Kowar earned the win for the Gators tossing 5.2 innings. He allowed three runs (one earned) on just two hits, while he struck out 10 batters. Offensively, Langworthy led the Gators with three hits. Liput drove in three runs, while Rivera, Langworthy, and Bell each had two RBI.
 
W&M returns to Williamsburg for its home opening series against Lafayette next weekend. The three-game set gets underway from Plumeri Park on Friday, Feb. 24 at 4 p.m.