Florida Falls to Virginia 7-5

Once again sitting as visitors, Florida opened up the game with a BANG! Eleven batters made a plate appearance in the first inning. Tyler Finney started the roll with a hard hit to short where the ball was bobbled, placing Finney on first. Justin Morgan laid a perfect bunt right along the third baseline. The Virginia boys watched the ball in hopes that it would roll foul but it failed to do so as Morgan made his way to first and Finney moved on to second. Mark Weir was patient at the plate and received a walk to load up the bases. Noah Wilcox smacked the ball to left center, bringing in Finney but Morgan was thrown out at third for out number one. Will Jackson hit up the middle but Virginia’s first baseman was unable to handle the throw coming in. This hit produced an RBI as Weir made his way to home. Unable to find his pitch, Bradley Coleman walked and Harden went back to the dugout with a K. With bases loaded, Timmy Farrell worked the pitcher and after a full count walked to bring Wilcox home. Virginia’s pitcher was rattled and Dean Radebaugh was walked with only four pitches, bringing in Jackson. Back up at the top of the order, Finney once again slammed the shortstop for a single with an RBI as Coleman crossed the plate. Morgan came to the plate, but as baseball innings do, inning one had come to an end with a K. The Florida boys took the field with a rush, as Timmy Farrell prepared for batter number one. Virginia’s first batter, Sons, grounded out to Coleman at first who made the unassisted play. Barnett grounded right back to Farrell who serenely scooped up the ball and made the easy play to Coleman on first. Long lived up to his name and shot one out to right center for a triple. Farrell’s brow began to show signs of sweat as Worley stepped to the plate. His famous two homerun game on Saturday make the Florida boys a bit nervous. He hit down the up the middle between first and second, managing to reach first with an error at first. His hit did produce the first run for Virginia. Puryear pulled a ball out to right center and was fielded by Noah Wilcox to end the inning. First Inning = Florida 5 – Virginia 1

Inning number two opened with some hard cuts by Mark Weir but he was unable to connect as did Wilcox. With two outs, Jackson stepped to the plate and ripped a ball out to left field for a single. Coleman earned his way on base and advanced Jackson with a walk. Harden stepped to the plate with two men on and swung with all that he had. A pop-up to first ended the Florida offensive play. With Farrell back on the mound and a solid defense behind him, Florida only faced three batters in the second. The first batter, Davis, went back to the dugout with a big K. Nichols took several pitches and then popped a ground back to Farrell who made the toss to Coleman for out two. Wazeka took one pitch and smacked the ball to Mark Weir at short who made a picture perfect throw to Coleman on first for out number three. Second Inning = Florida 5 – Virginia 1

The third inning brought Farrell to the plate and he laid down a beautiful drag bunt that teetered near the line. With the Virginia defense and the umpire watching carefully, the ball stopped just shy of going foul, earning Farrell a single. Jacalob Akins entered the game as a courtesy runner for Farrell. Radebaugh earned his way to first with a walk. Back at the top of the order, Finney and Morgan both connected with the ball but both were caught for outs one and two. Akins was tagged out in an attempt to steal for out number three. Farrell sent the 9th batter in Virginia’s line-up back to the dugout with a strikeout. He handed Sons the leadoff batter a full count before losing him with a walk. Barnett smacked a hard to handle grounder to Jackson at third for a single. With runners on first and second, Long, once again, slammed a ball deep into the outfield but Okeechobee’s defense was there to handle it for out two. The final out of the inning came from Worley nailing a grounder to Weir at short who made the silk-smooth play to Coleman on first. Third Inning = Okeechobee 5 – Virginia 1

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