GAINESVILLE, Fla. — In a season of walks to the mound in crucial moments, Gators reliever
Blake Purnell took the ball from head coach
Kevin O'Sullivan on Saturday afternoon for the third consecutive day.
The Gators and second-ranked Arkansas were tied after Razorbacks left fielder Zack Gregory, all 5-foot-10 of him, launched a pitch from
Ryan Slater into the howling wind. The ball landed over the right-field wall at Florida Ballpark, and Arkansas, for the second time in the game, had erased a deficit of three or more runs.
With the series knotted at a game apiece and his team in danger of letting a series win blow away like a hot-dog wrapper, O'Sullivan turned to Purnell the way he has so often this season. Purnell's outing Saturday was his 19th appearance in UF's 32 games, which equates to 96 in a 162-game major league schedule.
A redshirt freshman from Boynton Beach, Purnell would not have sniffed the mound a season ago in a situation like Saturday. Only the smells of burgers and pretzels as they drifted through the ballpark.
"It's definitely crazy to think about, because time did fly,'' Purnell said. "But overall, just worked toward this moment and hopefully keep it going."
Less than 24 hours after earning a save in his 3 1/3-inning outing on Friday night, Purnell prevented any more of O'Sullivan's hair from turning gray when he retired Razorbacks Cayden Wallace and Braydon Webb on a pair of ground balls to end the top of the eighth inning. The Gators responded in the bottom of the inning with two runs, and then Purnell closed out the 9-7 victory in 1-2-3 fashion in the top of the ninth to earn the victory. Purnell helped the Gators take the series by tossing six innings in his three appearances. He gave up four hits and one run, while striking out three and not walking a batter.
Purnell's performance earned notice considering the spotlight of a Southeastern Conference weekend series against the No. 2 team in the country, but for those cheering "let's go Blake" in the Gators' dugout celebration, it was Blake being Blake.
"I'm so proud of that kid,'' catcher
BT Riopelle said. "Had to change up completely his whole routine, the way he threw. Didn't get really any innings last year. To come into the role he is in, that is so remarkable. He's put us in a good position to have a really good guy at the end of the game to solidify a win for us."
In the sunbaked and wind-whipped glow of victory, O'Sullivan first offered a CliffsNotes version of Purnell's rise from obscurity.
"What can you say about him,'' O'Sullivan said. "It's a great story."
Â
The extended version fills in some important details.
Purnell grew up playing football, baseball and various sports. He was on the recruiting radar as a pitcher at St. Thomas Aquinas High, but not in the way so many of the first-round arms we have seen O'Sullivan turn to over the years.
Purnell didn't have a scholarship offer from the Gators, but he wanted to test himself athletically and academically. He said his plan is to attend law school after finishing his undergraduate work.
"Academics, that's the first thing in my family,'' Purnell said Saturday. "Really, just wanted to compete at the best level I can and I thought this was the best opportunity."
Once that opportunity arrived as a walk-on last season, Purnell morphed from right-handed pitcher to right-handed spectator. He did not make an appearance for the Gators. In the fall, assistant coach
David Kopp, who joined the program last summer, suggested that the 6-foot-3, 190-pound Purnell alter his delivery from a traditional overhand one to more of a sidearm delivery.
Purnell said he was confused at first by the change in approach, but that he wanted to give it a try.
O'Sullivan is glad he did.
"We haven't had many guys like that. It was really just a matter of trying to salvage – not his career – but his ability to pitch at Florida,'' O'Sullivan said. "We didn't have a look like that, and David has dealt with guys who have dropped down before."
Purnell has morphed back into a pitcher. A good one.
After Saturday's performance, he is 3-2 with three saves and a 1.19 ERA in 30 1/3 innings. His WHIP is a microscopic 0.82, and Purnell has limited opponents to 23 hits and five runs (four earned). He has struck out 26 and walked only two.
He has shown an ability to quickly bounce back mentally and physically, allowing O'Sullivan to use him more often.
"With side-armers, they tend to be sometimes a little bit better when they are tired,'' O'Sullivan said. "Their ball sinks a little bit more. He's got the ability to throw a change-up and a slider, and being able to throw the fastball back and forth, gives him that ability to hopefully get out left-handed hitters."
To finish off the Razorbacks on Saturday, Purnell struck out potential first-round pick Robert Moore to lead off the ninth, then retired Chris Lanzilli on a grounder and Michael Turner on a fly ball to left. Purnell uses a hunched stance to get set for his delivery, which is a different look for hitters and has helped him limit opponents to a .207 average.
Consistent with the life of a closer, Purnell has experienced highs and lows. The low being a walk-off loss at Georgia. The new high Saturday's win.
He is thankful to be contributing – and for his new delivery.
"It added deception and really opened up a different part of my game that I never knew I had before,'' he said. "I just really think it is helping out the team a lot this year. It's the greatest feeling ever. Everybody has faith in you, thinks you are going to get out of the game and win the series.
"It's just a great feeling to come through for the team."
The Gators agree based on that postgame dugout roar in Purnell's honor.
Â
