Box Score GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- No 2017 Gainesville Regional magic was there for Bethune-Cookman Wednesday night as the Wildcats dropped a 7-4 decision to the defending national champion and top-ranked Florida Gators before 3,249 at McKethan Stadium.

Florida (4-0) got 4 2/3 innings of combined no-hit relief as the Gators pulled away from a 4-3 in a rematch of last year's regional that saw Bethune-Cookman force a deciding a seventh game.

Joseph Fernando had three hits --including two doubles off the wall -- and Zach Spivey  had two hits and two RBI from the bottom of the line-up for the Wildcats, now 1-4.

It did get interesting in the ninth  when Giovany Lorenzo brought in Kyle Corbin, but the Gators registered the final out for the win.

Florida turned a 1-0 advantage into 4-0 in the third when JJ Schwarz smacked a two-run homer and Wil Dalton was awarded home when he was caught dead in an attempt to steal home, but umpires called Joseph Calamita for a balk.

The Wildcats, who had stranded five runners in the first three innings,  got back into the game into the fourth when Spivey singled home Fernando and Jordan Stacy then scored on Corbin's fielder's choice.

Florida eased away with an unearned run in the fifth and two in the seventh, one on a bases-loaded walk.

Jameel Edney also had two hits for the Wildcats.

On the mound, Tyler Krull, who threw four scoreless innings against the Gators last June, exited after two innings.
Calamita, Brandon Wilkes, Branden Frank, Ivam Countinho and David Mata all saw work in the Wildcat mid-week parade.