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Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan
Deacon Liput, Alex Faedo, Mike Rivera, Mark Kolozsvary
 
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Freshman Deacon Liput had a pair of two-run doubles and sophomore right-hander Alex Faedo matched his career high of seven strikeouts as No. 1 Florida posted a 12-3 victory over FGCU on Sunday afternoon to sweep the season-opening series. Today's crowd of 4,110 fans brought the weekend total to 14,570, an Opening Weekend series record at McKethan Stadium.
 
The Gators (3-0) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning against FGCU redshirt sophomore Mario Leon (0-1), highlighted by a two-run single by sophomore Mike Rivera (1-for-2, three RBI) and two-run double by Liput (2-for-2, four RBI). Florida had loaded the bases with none out on a double by sophomore Dalton Guthrie (3-for-4, two runs), a single and a stolen base by junior Buddy Reed and a walk to sophomore JJ Schwarz. Rivera drove in Guthrie and Reed with a one-out base-knock into right field and Liput roped his first career double to the wall in right center field for a four-run cushion.
 
The Eagles used an RBI double by freshman Nick Blasucci to get on the scoreboard in the fifth inning before Faedo (1-0) worked out of a jam to prevent further damage. Junior Corey Fehribach was hit by a pitch to start the frame and freshman Ryan Shinn followed with a base-hit. After Blasucci doubled down the right-field line to plate Fehribach and give the visitors a pair of runners in scoring position, Faedo fanned sophomore Gage Morey and India made a sterling defensive play on a grounder by senior Tyler Selesky to complete the frame.   
 
Faedo (5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 7 K, 1 BB) struck out the first two Eagles of the sixth inning to match his career high for strikeouts and sophomore Nick Horvath was summoned from the bullpen after senior Colton Bottomley drew a walk. The southpaw waged a 12-pitch battle with Fehribach before having him fly out to Reed in center field.
 
The Gators sent 12 batters to the plate and erupted for six runs on five hits in the seventh to build a 10-1 margin. Guthrie led off with a base-hit into left field and stole second before Reed and Schwarz earned back-to-back walks from sophomore Parker Hamilton. Junior pinch hitter Peter Alonso was hit by freshman Cory Weiand to bring in Guthrie and Rivera followed with a sacrifice fly before Liput had another two-run double, Larson chipped in with an RBI single and freshman Danny Reyes delivered a pinch-hit RBI single in his first collegiate at bat.
 
FGCU tallied a pair of runs in the top of the eighth and sophomore Mark Kolozsvary got them back with his first career homer, a two-run shot to left field with Alonso aboard, to wrap up the scoring.
 
Postgame Quotes
Florida Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan
"There were a lot of positives. All three starters were good and we had a chance to get everybody in. The older guys had big days today. I'm awfully excited about those two guys at the end (Jackson Kowar and Scott Moss). Mark (Kolozsvary) got a two-run homer. It shows you the depth. Coming out of the weekend, we made zero errors today on a Sunday, I was really pleased they kept their focus. We have our core guys in the pen, we have two mid-week games the next three weeks and we have to really get these guys going. It's a matter of getting their feet back and getting them going. I am very pleased with where we are. It's only the first weekend, but I thought this whole weekend was a really good test for us. It has been a long time since we have gotten on the field. There are no exhibition games, so there are a lot of things you can't simulate in practice that come up the first weekend."
 
On sophomore right-hander Alex Faedo:
"He threw well. He threw some really good changeups later in his outing today. The only thing that affected him, he hit the one left-handed batter to start the fifth, and I think that he let it affect him. Alex (Faedo) is extremely competitive, and he gets upset with himself if the game speeds up on him. Once he reels that in a little bit, his stuff is going to be extra special. His stuff is dynamite. I love his competitive spirit, and I love his pace. To pitch on a Sunday and be a Sunday starter is as good as you're going to get at this level."
 
Freshman second baseman Deacon Liput
On winning the series: 
"That's a very important thing. Especially when you come up against a very good FGCU program, it's really easy to think you've won the series already (after two wins), but being a part of Florida baseball is so much more. It's about finishing and it's the game of baseball, nobody likes losing. It's really special to just come out here and give it our all and going for the win."
 
Sophomore right-hander Alex Faedo
On todays' victory:
"I thought it was a good all-around win, the bats came alive today and offense did a really good job of getting the lead early for us and giving the pitchers an easy job. (Our) defense played great, Dalton (Guthrie) and Nelson (Maldonado) made some really good plays too, it was all just good to see."
 
Postgame Notes

• Florida has claimed all nine season-opening series under Kevin O'Sullivan, with six sweeps.
• The Gators batted .330 on the weekend and its pitching staff compiled a 1.67 earned run average, with 35 strikeouts and five walks.
• Dalton Guthrie picked up his first double of the 2016 season in his first at bat of the game; it was the the 15th of his career.
• Guthrie also recorded his second stolen base of the season.  
• Deacon Liput had four RBI today; he leads the Gators with seven and batted .556 (5-for-9) during the series.
• Florida's six runs in the 7th inning marked the most runs in an inning by the Gators this year.
• Opening weekend brought in a total attendance of 14,570, a new record for McKethan Stadium.
• Alex Faedo tied his career high with seven strikeouts today.
• Florida's eight walks were its most since June 5, 2015 versus Florida State during the NCAA Gainesville Super Regional.
• Guthrie's two hits in the 7th inning makes him the first Gator to do so since Vickash Ramjit had a pair of doubles in the same frame against South Carolina on April 13, 2013.
• All three opening weekend games resulted in the Gator pitching staff throwing double-digit strikeouts (11, 12, 12). Each starting pitcher tallied six or more strikeouts.

 
Series History

• The Gators are now 12-5 (.706) against the Eagles, including 9-5 (.643) at McKethan Stadium.
• Florida has claimed the last five meetings between the Sunshine State rivals.
   

Up Next
The Gators will host Eastern Michigan in the front end of a two-game series on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at McKethan Stadium, with the teams facing off again on Wednesday in Lakeland, Fla., at Joker Marchant Stadium. The games can be heard on the Gator IMG Sports Network with Jeff Cardozo and Steve Russell.
 
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