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After a solid performance in game one Friday night, Florida baseball fans were pleased to see an even more complete effort from the Gators in a Saturday doubleheader which saw another career day from a UF starting pitcher.

No. 10 Florida (3-0) secured a series sweep in a doubleheader against Air Force (0-3), winning game one 10-4 and game two 1-0. Gators left-hander Pierce Coppola threw a career-high 12 strikeouts in the second leg.

“I was a little nervous, I guess, just excitement being back here,” said Coppola. “Everything was working out, and I just kept rolling with it. I’m just trying to let it eat again.”

Like Friday’s opener, neither team could get much going in the initial inning of game one. This time, however, Florida was quicker to break the stalemate and get its bats rolling. It started with designated hitter Landon Stripling. The sophomore sent a ball careening off his bat at 102 mph into the right field grove to make it a 1-0 lead for the Gators.

Hayden Yost would add another run, scoring catcher Brody Donay on an RBI single, to make a 2-0 Gators lead. He’d make it all the way around to third on a stolen base and a wild pitch as Ashton Wilson walked to first and stole second. Blake Cyr then struck out to close the frame without adding any more runs.

“It was great day for me, but it was a really great day for the team,” Yost said.

Air Force was quick to respond, scoring for the first time this series albeit under odd circumstances. Cam Anstey was hit by Clemente’s pitch to reach first. A single from T.J. Oster put two runners on. A sacrifice hit and a throwing error from Donay scored Anstey and advanced Oster to third while putting Christian Taylor at second.

A sacrifice fly out and a fielder’s choice scored Oster and Taylor before Clemente could force a fly out to end the inning. The damage was done already and the Gators faced a 3-2 deficit headed into their third frame.

The Gators wouldn’t take long to respond, adding two more runs in the fourth inning. A double steal allowed Hayden Yost to score from third. Colby Shelton added a two-run shot into the right bullpen to make it a 5-3 Gators lead.

“Did I think [Yost] was gonna swing the bat good? Yeah, I had a feeling,” Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said.

The Gators would add four more runs in the fifth. Donay sent his second home run in as many games this season off the batter’s eye for two runs. A sacrifice fly from Shelton and an RBI single from Boser made it a 9-3 Florida lead heading into the back half of the game.

Florida starting pitcher Jake Clemente was replaced by fellow righty Luke McNeillie before the seventh inning. Clemente finished with eight strikeouts, no walks and just two earned runs on the day. Boser added another homer in the bottom seventh to make it a 10-3 Florida lead.

McNeillie would bring the Gators across the finish line in game one, tossing six strikeouts and allowing just one run on a two-out solo homer to help secure a 10-4 victory for Florida.

“I think we only walked one today in 16 innings,” O’Sullivan said. “It’s definitely a step in the right direction.”

The second leg of the doubleheader got off to the slowest start of the series. Neither team could log a run through the opening third of the game.

Then Donay happened. In the bottom of the fourth, he sent another tank into the outfield for his third home run of the weekend.

Brendan Lawson joined in on the fun, rounding the bases on a single, stolen base, ground out and passed ball. Florida led 2-0 after four frames.

Donay added some more insurance in the fifth with an RBI double. Blake Cyr would add an RBI himself on a single. Justin Nadeau, making his debut for Florida, tacked on two more. Then it was Yost with two, then Boser with one. Florida responded quickly in the bottom sixth with an RBI double from Lawson.

“There are a lot of guys who deserve the opportunity to get in the game,” O’Sullivan said.

An RBI double from Nadeau put the Gators in run-rule territory needing just three outs. Matthew Jenkins took over for King and got the job done, handing Florida the series sweep.

“Obviously looking forward to getting back on the field Tuesday,” O’Sullivan said.

Up next, the Gators will head to Jacksonville for a midweek matchup against the Jacksonville Dolphins. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game can be streamed on ESPN+.