Coppola could give the Gators a jump start to a very good weekend

A great start by Pierce Coppola could give the Gators weekend momentum for the Texas series (UAA photo)

He will be on a pitch count that severely limits his innings but Pierce Coppola getting the Friday night start when surging Florida (33-17, 11-13 SEC) travels to Austin to take on No. 1 Texas (38-9, 19-5 SEC) could hold the key to a successful weekend for the Gators. Getting off to a fast start in Austin is critical and if Coppola is throwing strikes the Longhorns will discover he’s very tough to hit.

Texas is already assured of a top eight seed which will mean a regional host and a super regional if the Longhorns win the regional. Florida, meanwhile, is fighting back from near disaster. With another win or two, the Gators will almost certainly lock up an NCAA bid. If they could win the series in Austin and follow that up with a win in the regular season ending series with Alabama, perhaps the Gators could be hosting. It’s a longshot, but stranger things have happened.

For Florida, it all starts Friday night and that’s where Coppola comes in. After nearly three years of injury-forced inactivity, Coppola was Florida’s most dominant pitcher through his first two starts before another injury sidelined him. A week ago he made a comeback which earned him the Friday night start against Texas.

A 6-8 lefty with wicked stuff when healthy, Coppola returned to the mound last weekend for an inning against South Carolina, his first outing since leaving in the third inning against Miami back on March 1. Prior to the injury against Miami, Coppola posted a 2-0 record with a 1.32 ERA in 13-2/3 innings. He gave up only four hits, walked four and struck out 23. In his one inning against South Carolina, Coppola walked two but struck out two.

Coppola’s absence for two months forced head coach Kevin O’Sullivan to shuffle his pitching rotation in an attempt to find a third quality weekend starter. Liam Peterson (8-2, 4.09 ERA, 82 strikeouts in 55 innings) and freshman Aidan King (4-2, 3.19 ERA, 55 strikeouts in 52 innings) have done their part but O’Sullivan hasn’t come up with a consistent third starter.

Coppola throws a nasty slider and his fast ball gets plenty of movement. If he could shut down Texas for two or three innings Friday night it might be just what the Gators need to continue the momentum that has carried the Gators to four consecutive SEC series wins and a 10-2 record in SEC play. Florida has gone from a dismal 1-11 start to the possibility of a break-even finish.

During the 1-11 start in SEC play, the Gators had a 110-75 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a team ERA of 9.63. Making matters worse, the Gators were hitting just .244 in league play. Since sweeping Missouri, Florida pitchers have a 124-44 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a 4.14 ERA. Florida hitters have hit .313 during the surge while belting 21 home runs.

The Gators have been able to overcome a wrist injury that has sidelined shortstop Colby Shelton (.377, 7 HR, 35 RBI). Without Shelton, O’Sullivan has shifted around his infield, moving freshman Brendan Lawson (.333, 9 HR, 54 RBI) from first base to third and third baseman Bobby Boser (.325, 14 HR, 51 RBI) to shortstop. Catcher Luke Heyman (.302, 13 HR, 43 RBI) has caught fire at the plate. He hit three homers during the sweep of South Carolina. Against South Carolina Hayden Yost (.282, 3 HR, 30 RBI) went 5-10 with a homer and eight RBI. In four SEC games since returning from injury, Ty Evans is 6-16 with three homers and nine RBI.  

The Gators come into the Texas series having taken down Arkansas two out of three and then sweeping South Carolina on the road. Last weekend Arkansas swept Texas. All this points to an opportunity weekend for the Gators, who are as hot if not hotter than any team in the SEC.

The recent surge has taken much of the guesswork out of Florida’s post season chances. When the Gators were 1-11 in SEC play making the NCAA Tournament seemed a longshot, but the hot streak has all but assured UF of making the field of 64. The big question now is can the Gators finish strong enough to stay in the hunt to host an NCAA regional in the final two weekends of league play before the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Alabama.

Texas is obviously the big obstacle for the Gators, who will finish the regular season hosting Alabama. The Longhorns not only rank No. 1 in the latest D1Baseball poll, but they have the No. 1 RPI in the country as well. The Gators aren’t ranked in the D1 poll, but they are No. 22 at Baseball America and they’re No. 18 in RPI.