March 7, 2004
Gainesville, Fla. - The Boilermaker baseball team could not take advantage of a solid outing by starting pitcher Chris Toneguzzi (So., Thunder Bay, Ontario) on Sunday afternoon as it was swept by No. 18 Florida at McKethan Stadium.
Toneguzzi went six innings for Purdue allowing just four hits and three runs, two of which were earned. His record evened at 1-1. Jason Driscoll (Sr., Mishawaka, Ind.) also recorded a solid outing for Purdue by coming out of the bullpen to pitch two perfect innings.
Purdue immediately got on the board in the top of the first as center fielder Mike Coles (Jr., Hammond, Ind.) led off with a home run to left-center field. Florida answered in the second with a pair of runs on an RBI double by Brian Leclerc followed by a triple off the bat of Jonathon Tucker.
The Boilermakers tied the game at two in the third. Coles and right fielder Mitch Hilligoss (Fr., Windsor, Ill.) singled after which third baseman Simon Klink (Sr., Auburn, Ind.) walked to load the bases. First baseman Eric Wolfe (So., Toronto, Ontario) then drew a walk of his own to force in Coles from third.
Florida broke the tie with the game's deciding run in the sixth inning when C.J. Smith led off with a single and later scored on a Purdue error to give the Gators, who have won 11 straight games and improved to 15-3, the 3-2 victory.
Purdue out-hit Florida 11 to four but was unable to drive its runners home as the Boilermakers left 12 on base.
Purdue drops to 1-5 on the season with the loss and will return to the diamond with a three game series against Alabama-Birmingham beginning on Friday, March 12 at 7 p.m EST at Young Memorial Field in Birmingham.