Florida Baseball Falls Short To Alabama In Series Finale 8-7

The Florida Gator baseball team closed its series with Alabama Sunday afternoon falling short 8-7.  Despite the loss, the Gators clinched the series to open up SEC play.

Final from game three in Tuscaloosa.

Presented by @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/N3eFR9vSit

— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) March 20, 2022

At the Plate

The Gators got themselves on the board right off the bat in the first inning after Wyatt Langford doubled down the left field line to bring Sterlin Thompson who had also doubled.  Then, Langford got his own opportunity to cross home plate after BT Riopelle reached on an error to put an unearned run on the board.

The Gators didn’t score again until the fourth inning. Thompson and Langford hit back to back home runs to put the Gators up 4-2. But Alabama responded in the bottom of the inning and tied the score back up at 4-4.

The homers didn’t stop there. In the eighth inning, Jud Fabian hit a two run long ball and in the same inning, Kendrick Calilao had an RBI knock as well.

The team totaled 11 hits through the game with Langford leading the way with a 3 for 4 day.

BACK-TO-BACK!@langford_wyatt leaves the area code.

4-2 #Gators pic.twitter.com/gIUBLLUJBb

— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) March 20, 2022

On the Mound

Timmy Manning started on the mound for the Gators and didn’t do well, leaving the game in the second inning after walking the bases loaded.  Brandon Neely relieved and gave up three hits and three runs through his 3.2 innings of work. Then, Garrett Milchin pitched the next two innings striking out one. It came down to the bottom of the ninth with freshman Blake Purnell on the mound for Florida, trying for a save and also trying to keep a streak of not having allowed an earned run all season.  It was not to be.

Florida entered the ninth inning up by a run but after getting an out, Purnell hit Andrew Pinckney with a pitch.  The nine hole hitter Bryce Eblin singled to put runners on the corners and then leadoff man Jim Jarvis laid down a squeeze bunt that looked as if it might roll foul but the Gators touched the ball in fair territory and the game was tied.  Dominic Tamez singled to load the bases and then with five players in the infield, third baseman Zane Denton hit a single to score the winning run and give Alabama the victory.

Florida returns home Tuesday to face Bethune Cookman at 6pm.

Back at home with Gator Nation on Tuesday. #GoGators pic.twitter.com/uzfmXng061

— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) March 21, 2022