Gators right-hander Jake Clemente teamed with Liam Peterson and Pierce Coppola to provide outstanding starting pitching in the series sweep of Air Force. (Photo: John Paternoster/UAA Communications)
Gators Notebook: Starters Dominate, Versatile Lineup Offers Options, Evans & Jones Day-to-Day, More Tidbits
Monday, February 17, 2025 | Baseball, Scott Carter
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By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — One is a talented sophomore tossed into the rotation a season ago and allowed overthinking to interfere with his natural ability. One is a third-year sophomore who missed a year due to injury but came on late in the NCAA Tournament last season. The other is a fourth-year junior who has spent more time in the training room than on the mound in college.
What Liam Peterson (former overthinker), Jake Clemente (late bloomer) and Pierce Coppola (injured lefty) have in common besides being starting pitchers for the Gators is a promising outing to open the 2025 season. In Florida's three-game sweep of Air Force, the trio prevented the Falcons from flying.
Peterson started Opening Night and tossed six shutout innings, striking out a career-high 11. Clemente got the nod in the second game and limited Air Force to three hits and three runs (two earned) over six innings. He struck out eight and walked none. Coppola finished the sweep with five shutout innings in the third game, allowing just one hit and striking out 12.
Their combined numbers add up to this: 3-0, 1.06 ERA (17 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 31 SO, 0.47 WHIP, 16.4 SO/9).
Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan praised all three for setting the tone and helping the Gators sweep their opening series at Condron Ballpark for only the second time in five seasons.
Peterson, who made 16 starts (3-6, 6.43) as a freshman, lasted only six innings in two of them. He is already halfway there after an outing where he allowed only one runner to reach third base.
"Hopefully, starts like this continue for him," O'Sullivan said. "Shows the maturation and the work he has put in."
Lefty Pierce Coppola reacts after one of his 12 strikeouts on Saturday against Air Force. (Photo: John Paternoster/UAA Communications)
Peterson struck out five consecutive Air Force batters over the second and third innings after designated hitter Tripp Garrish doubled and moved to third with one out on a fly ball. O'Sullivan took a short visit to the mound, and Peterson locked in, using his improved slider to mow down hitters.
"I just wanted to pound the zone. I didn't want to beat myself. That was kind of the goal,'' he said. "I will definitely say I did a lot of thinking last year, and I'd say about 80 percent of that thinking was not helpful at all."
In the second game, Clemente made his third career start and stuck to the script, quickly settling down after Air Force took a 3-2 lead with a three-run third inning. Clemente retired the final 11 batters he faced for his third career victory.
Clemente (2-0, 5.34 ERA in 2024) made a start in last season's NCAA Tournament against Oklahoma State and an April mid-week start against Jacksonville. Otherwise, he was used out of the bullpen. His competitiveness and recovery from a shoulder injury that sidelined him in 2023 earned him Cape Code League All-Star recognition over the summer and a spot in the rotation for the Gators.
Finally, Coppola turned in his best performance at Florida since arriving as a highly-touted prospect from Verona, N.J. He dominated the Falcons from the first inning of Florida's 11-1 win in seven innings. He struck out the side swinging in the first and never let up, striking out 12 of the 16 batters he faced.
"I'm not quite sure I've ever seen him so comfortable and confident on the mound,'' O'Sullivan said. "He's been good in the preseason, but I haven't seen him strut around and feel good about himself like that."
Following back surgery in 2022, arm ailments in 2023, and a return to the mound late last season, Coppola pitched Saturday the way he envisioned all along.
"For me, my expectation is to throw like that as much as I can," Coppola said. "My goal was to be that guy and make sure we get a win as many times as possible when I pitch. Everything was working out, so I just kept rolling with it.
"It felt good. It's a long season, though, so I've got to make sure I stay healthy the whole time. It's hard not throwing for two years and learn how to compete again. Once I figure that out again, hopefully I can just continue and keep it going."
It's only three wins but equivalent to 23 percent of the victories (13-22, 6.94) UF starters earned last season. You can't ask for a much better start than that if you're O'Sullivan.
The appearances were the first of their UF careers for McDonald, Barberi, King and Jenkins. McDonald, coming off Tommy John surgery, replaced Peterson in Friday's win and tossed two scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
"That's what he always does,'' O'Sullivan said. "He just throws strikes. He is still working his way back."
Barberi, a freshman right-hander from Snellville, Ga., followed McDonald with a scoreless inning. He struck out two.
"You just got a short glimpse of what we feel about him,'' O'Sullivan said.
In the first game Saturday, McNeillie pitched three innings after Clemente. He gave up a run on three hits while striking out six. And in the final game of the series, newcomers King (1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO) and Jenkins (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) closed out the series. King is a freshman from Bryceville, Fla., and Jenkins a sophomore who transferred from Santa Fe College.
Gators pitchers struck out 47 and walked three over 25 innings.
HURT LOCKER
The only concern for the Gators in their destruction of Air Force were minor injuries to outfielders Kyle Jones and Ty Evans. Jones started the opener in center field and Evans in right. Ty Evans
Jones banged his knee sliding into third base and suffered some swelling. Meanwhile, Evans jammed his wrist while diving back to first. O'Sullivan said X-rays came back negative. Neither played in the two games on Saturday and are considered day-to-day.
"That's the luxury of having some depth on your roster,'' O'Sullivan said. "You don't have to push the issue, especially early in the year."
Jones, a transfer from Stetson, made his UF debut on Friday. Evans is coming off a season that ended early due to a broken wrist. Before the injury, he started 49 of 50 games with 13 homers and 43 RBI.
BRODY LONG BALL
Designated hitter/catcher Brody Donay made a statement on Opening Weekend. Donay was named Southeastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday after homering in all three games.
Donay finished 7-for-10 in the series, and his three home runs traveled more than 1,300 feet, including a bomb in the opener on a night the wind was blowing in at Condron Ballpark.
"I didn't think anybody was going to get the ball out,'' O'Sullivan said. "That ball was crushed. He's been swinging the bat good."
Donay tallied 18 total bases, two doubles, six runs, five RBI, two walks and one steal against the Falcons. He served as the DH in the first and third games and as the catcher in the second game.
Donay has worked with associate head coach Chuck Jeroloman to quiet his stance at the plate and simplify his approach. So far, whatever Donay is doing is working.
"That was a laser show,'' teammate Hayden Yost said. "That fires us up. He started a ton of rallies. It's great for our offense."
PRODUCTIVE RETURN
Gators outfielder Hayden Yost after one of his six hits in Saturday's doubleheader. (Photo: John Paternoster/UAA Communications)
Sophomore outfielder Yost returned from a season-ending knee injury last season that forced him to miss the postseason.
Yost filled in for Jones in center and Evans in right on Saturday and went 6-for-9 with three RBI and two doubles.
"It was a long road but obviously worth it on days like this,'' Yost said. "Great to be back out there and great to be playing with the guys. "It took a lot of work, physical therapy three times a week," he said. "It was worth it. It felt good to put some hard contact on the ball and find some hits."
Yost's performance displayed Florida's offensive depth. With Jones and Evans out, Yost, Ashton Wilson and Justin Nadeau shared time in the outfield alongside left fielder Blake Cyr, who started all three games.
O'Sullivan has a good problem: a deep and versatile roster from which to choose when filling out his lineup card.
"I still don't have a great feel for where guys will fit eventually,'' he said. "It will change quite a bit as we move along. We'll take the first month and just keep doing the same thing until we figure out what the best lineup looks like. It's a little bit challenging, but we all knew that going in."
Yost, who played in 32 games and started 14 as a freshman, said the competition is healthy as players try to state their case for playing time.
"We have a lot of depth this year. When your time is called, you do the best you can to help the team win,'' he said. "We have a team centered on winning. That is what we put our focus on rather than who is starting."
