The Florida Gators completed their sweep of the Hurricanes Sunday, taking Game 3 6-2.

This one hurts, there is no question about it, when you lose two games as close as we did in Game 1 and Game 2 and then lose like this in Game 3, you begin to see how important every at-bat is in the determination of how a series will go. The terrible losing streak continues, and here is how it went down:

The Hurricanes went quietly in the top of the first, and then Michael Mediavilla came to the mound hoping to shake off the thoughts of his last start, but he clearly struggled to do so, walking the first two batters, and only escaping the inning because of a strikeout and a double play.

Miami’s offensive struggles continued in the top of the second, and they were once again retired quickly. In the bottom half of the inning Mediavilla put himself in a jam yet again, putting runners on the corners with 2 outs after a walk and a single consecutively. Michael somehow managed to escape again, and we moved on to the third.

Hunter Tackett then started off inning 3 right, drawing a leadoff walk, and with 2 outs Davison reached base on a HBP, but with two men on base Carl Chester popped it up to short, and the half of the inning was over. The bottom of the frame was quiet for Florida, and we moved to the fourth.

UM finally captured their first run of the series on a Romy Gonzalez homerun to rightfield. The Hurricanes then put two men on with two out, but that opportunity was quickly over after a Hunter Tackett groundout. Through 3 and a half the Hurricanes led 1-0.

The joy was quickly ended however, when in the bottom of the 4th Michael Mediavilla was let down by his defense again, James Davison lost his footing on a fly-ball and it dropped in for a Gators’ double, giving them two men in scoring position as a runner was already on base. A sack fly from Christian Hicks tied the game at 1-1, and a single gave the Gators the lead at 2-1. Then Florida plated one run on a double, but the batter was out on a relay but the run still counted, by the time all was set and done, UF led 3-1.

Evan McKendry then came into the game in the bottom of the fifth after the Canes were retired easily. Mckendry immediately had trouble, an error followed by a double gave the Gators two men on with no outs. A quick sac-fly made the game 4-1 in favor of Florida at the end of the fifth.

The Hurricanes managed to put two runners on in the top of the sixth for Hunter Tackett, who was struckout by reliever Michael Byrne, who replaced starter Jackson Kowar, to end the threat. In the bottom of the inning errors put Miami in another bad spot, and another run crossed the plate for Florida, making the game 5-1 UF at the end of the sixth.

The Hurricanes once again presented no real threat in the top of the seventh, having a man on first twice, but hitting into a double play the first time, and then suffering a strikeout the second time. In the bottom of the inning yet another sac-fly gave the Gators a 6-1 lead, and the game appeared to be pretty much over.

In the top of the eighth Romy Gonzalez refused to let the Hurricanes go quietly however, smacking yet another leadoff HR, yeah, he’s good guys. Unfortunately nothing came of the rest of the inning for either side, and the score was 6-2 UF.

Nothing happened for the Hurricanes in the top of the ninth, and it ended in a 6-2 Gators victory and sweep.

Game Stats

Winning Pitcher: Jackson Kowar (2-0, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, 5.2 IP)

Losing Pitcher: Michael Mediavilla (0-2, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 6 K, 4.0 IP)

Save: None

Next Game:

@FAU, Wednesday, March 1, 6:30 P.M Eastern

Hurricanes Starter: Greg Veliz (Freshman, has not pitched yet this year)

Radio: WVUM 90.5

Television: None