Box Score GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The sports movie didn't quite end in the miracle of the underdog taking down the national power, but the Stags kept the audience at the edge of their seats. Fairfield had the tying run 90 feet away in the top of the eighth inning but could not get him across as the Stags fell to the best team in the country, Florida 8-7 in Alfred A. McKethen Stadium in Gainesville, Fla.
“We got a lot of great efforts from a lot of people tonight,” Head Coach Bill Currier said. “The good thing is that it looked like the game was going to get away from us but we battled back. Florida had their closer in the final two inning and was doing everything they could to keep us away.”
Fairfield (0-4) notched seven runs and eight hits (by six different players) against a Florida (15-2) that has was ranked third in the country in hits allowed per game. Overall, the Gators had been ranked in the top-three in the NCAA, including ranked as the best in the nation by DivisionIBaseball.com.
The last hit was like it was written in a script. With the bases loaded in the top of the eighth, trailing 8-4, Troy Scocca came up as a pinch hitter and lined a bases clearing triple down the right field line that put the Stags within one run of their biggest win in program history. The extra base hit capped a five-run inning (the most given up by the Gators in an inning this season). Jake Salpietro also contributed in the highest scoring frame of the season for Fairfield when he singled through the right side bringing home two runs.
It was the final two RBIs of a season-high four that Salpietro would knock in for the night. The designated hitter clubbed his first home run of the season to get the Stags on the board in the fourth inning which cut the Gators lead to 3-2.
Gavin Wallace set the tone early for the Stags' upset mood when making his first career start, Wallace retired the first six batters he faced (Florida was 12th in the nation in runs scored).
“For a freshman to start his first college game against the best team in the country and show the poise and to be able throw three pitches for a strike, is phenomenal,” Coach Currier said. “You can't gain more experience than that for a pitcher.”
Wallace would allow three earned runs in his four innings of work after Josh Tobias singled up the middle for a two-run single to make the home team's lead 3-0.
The biggest blow for the Gators was JJ Schwarz's two-run home run in the seventh inning gave the nationally-ranked Gators an 8-2 lead. Schwarz also tripled in the fifth to bring home two.
Mac Crispino was the other Stag beside Salpietro to have a multi-hit game, including a single in the ninth inning to keep Fairfield alive. Sean Egan also collected his first collegiate hit and scored his first career run.
Sebastian Salvo reached base twice in his three plate appearances, including the first hit of the game in a hustled double in the third.
On the mound, Mike Bonaiuto and Ryan O'Connor combined to allow two hits and no runs in their 2.2 innings pitched.
The one-run victory was only the third time this season that an opponent lost to Florida by a single run (Florida had outscored their opponent 118-42 coming into the game).
“It shows no matter who you're playing you have a chance to win,” Currier said. “If you can come back on the number one team in the nation you can come back against anyone. It gives them a lot of confidence.”
The Stags will try and keep the magic alive when they return to face the Gators tomorrow at 7pm.
