This one hurt.
You could see it on the face of Richie Martin, hear it in the tone of JJ Schwarz.
You could feel it when a silence washed over McKethan Stadium in the 7th inning, as the second largest crowd in school history began to pile out from their seats, sensing the impending 7-2 defeat that No. 8 Miami was about to hand No. 6 Florida on Saturday night.
The game began well for the Gators, as sophomore left-hander A.J. Puk made quick work of the top of the Canes order. First a line-out, then a ground-out, and then a strikeout.
But with two outs in the top of the second, Puk walked two consecutive batters, advanced both after a wild pitch, hit Miami’s Christopher Barr and gave up a RBI single to right field.
Martin met with Puk at the mound.
“I was just trying to calm him down a little,” Martin said. “I don’t know if he was nervous, I don’t know what was going on.”
Kevin O’Sullivan reiterated Martin’s sentiments.
“(Puk) cruised along, he looked great. All of a sudden with two outs… I don’t know what happened,” O’Sullivan said. “He kind of lost his delivery, lost his release point.”
Miami led 1-0 as the third inning began, but quickly went up 3-0 after two hits from junior David Thompson and sophomore Willie Abreu.
O’Sullivan pulled Puk for right-hander Aaron Rhodes, who gave up a three-run homer in the fourth inning to increase the deficit to six.
Florida got on the board in the same inning when Josh Tobias flew out to right field, bringing in Martin from third base.
Miami’s Johnny Ruiz hit an RBI single in the fifth inning to increase UM’s lead to 7-1, and then Schwarz homered to left field in the sixth to end all scoring.
“I thought our offense swung the bat really well tonight. We hit the ball at them, and they just got lucky with us,” Schwarz said. “Sometimes that’s how it goes.”
Florida (5-1), which hit a season low .188 on Saturday, will look to take the series when they wrap up play against Miami (5-2) on Sunday at 1 p.m.
“They beat us in front of one of the biggest crowds we’ve had here,” Schwarz said. “So if we come out tomorrow and play our game it should show a lot about what this team is made of.”
Follow Ian Cohen on Twitter @ICohenB
Freshman JJ Schwarz bats during Florida's 7-2 loss to Miami on Saturday at McKethan Stadium.
