Skip to main content
florida logo

Florida Gators lose pitcher Pierce Coppola to season-ending surgery

Untitled designby:Nick de la Torre•04/16/23•

delatorre

Florida Gators pitcher Pierce Coppola
Photo courtesy of UAA Communications

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — In early February, Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan said he was hoping to get Pierce Coppola back to “100 percent” by SEC play. Unfortunately for Coppola and the Gators, another injury will keep him sidelined for the rest of this season.

The left-handed sophomore pitcher underwent shoulder surgery this week and is out for the year, Gators Online has learned. Pierce Coppola has yet to pitch in 2023 while recovering from back surgery in the summer, and now he won’t see the mound at all.

“Your heart goes out to him. It’s really disappointing,” Kevin O’Sullivan said after the game. ” Nobody feels worse than he does. We all feel bad. The bottom line is we’re going to keep encouraging and we’re going to be there for him. We can’t wait until he gets back on the mound.”

He came to Florida as the best pitcher from the state of New Jersey. Coppola earned the Sunday starter role last spring. The talented southpaw pitched just 4.1 innings in 2022 but struck out seven batters in a no-decision.

A bulging disc in his back sidelined the 6-foot-8 Coppola for the rest of last year. The surgery and recovery kept him from playing in the summer or most of the fall.

Coppola’s shoulder started giving him problems in the fall and limited his availability in the spring before this season started, and he has been on the mend throughout 2023.

*** Not a subscriber of Gators Online? CLICK HERE to receive 4 months of premium access for $10.00!

Gators without Coppola

When the team met in the fall the plan, or hope, was to have Coppola pitch on Sundays. Without Coppola available for the better portion of the fall and then completely unavailable in the spring, Florida turned to sophomore Jac Caglianone.

The two-way lefty has been on a torrid home run pace. Caglianone launched two home runs on Sunday, extending his nation-leading total to 21 on the season. Caglianone (4-1) earned his fourth victory of the season, allowing two earned runs across five innings of work. The southpaw gave up four hits and two walks while striking out four batters.

There’s no doubt that Florida is missing Coppola. The lefty was spectacular in high school and flashed his potential on opening weekend in 2022 but Caglianone has helped lessen the blow. The two should make for quite a weekend duo in 2024.

You may also like