GAINESVILLE, FL -- Redshirt sophomore Brandon Hylton collected a season-high five RBI, but the Stetson Hatters were unable to hold off the homestanding Florida Gators, fallingĀ 10-8 on Tuesday night at the Florida Ballpark.
Hylton hit a three-run homer in the third inning to put Stetson (18-18) on top 4-0. He added an RBI double in the seventh and then drove home a run in the ninth on a ground out.
Florida (23-14) was able to overcome Hylton's performance by getting home runs from Josh Rivera (solo), Wyatt Langford (three-run) and Jud Fabian (two-run). The three-run shot by Langford was part of a five-run fourth inning for Florida, flipping a 4-2 Stetson lead to a 7-4 Gators advantage.
Sophomore Anthony DeFabbia (0-2), gave up four of those runs in relief of starter Jonathan Gonzalez. Nick Ficarrotta (2-0) was the second of seven pitchers in the game for Florida and got the win. Blake Purnell finished off the game in the ninth for Florida to earn his fourth save.
In addition to Hylton, freshman Juan CorreaĀ and graduate Nick DiPonzioĀ both had two hits in the game for Stetson.Ā Senior Cameron Hill reached base four times and scored four runs.
The Hatters will be back on the road in ASUN play this weekend, starting Friday in Ft. Myers against FGCU.
About Stetson University Athletics:Ā Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS.
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