No. 5 Florida Falls as Mississippi State’s Bats Break Through

There has been a change in pace at Katie Seashole Pressley Stadium this weekend. 

After one of the nation’s best offenses was held to just one run Friday night, the Gators looked to bounce back on Sunflower Saturday. However, Florida’s pitching staff gave up 14 hits, the most given up at home this season, and No. 5 Florida (35-5, 10-4 SEC) fell to No. 13 Mississippi State, 9-5.

Katelynn Oxley started in the circle for the Gators and only faced three batters in the first inning as shortstop Kenleigh Cahalan leaped to make a great catch and double play, the team’s second consecutive first-inning double play.

The Bulldogs (33-8, 5-6) took a 1-0 lead in the second on Des Rivera’s RBI double, and left fielder Morgan Bernardini extended the lead in the fourth with hit a solo homer. 

Allison Sparkman relieved Oxley in the fifth, but did not stay in the circle for long. Sparkman gave up three hits and three runs to the Bulldogs. Leah Stevens finished out the fifth, but allowed Mississippi State to take a 6-0 lead with Nadia Barbary’s two-run home run.

Momentum shifted in the fifth, when the crowd stood for Ava Brown, who pinch hit for Cassidy McLellan to lead off the inning. Brown hit a single up the middle, her first hit since coming back from her injury. The Gators loaded the bases on two more singles, setting up Taylor Shumaker’s sac-fly for Florida’s first run of the game.

Jocelyn Erickson joined the hit party, adding onto her team-leading 17 homers with a three-run shot, cutting the Bulldogs’ lead to two. 

After allowing two runners on in the sixth, Stevens was replaced by Olivia Miller, who loaded the bases for Mississippi State with just one out after giving up a single and a fielders choice. Townsen Thomas nearly missed a fly ball in the outfield, letting three runs score for a 9-4 Bulldogs lead.

Mississippi State starter Alyssa Faircloth finished with nine strikeouts and five hits as Peja Goold, who pitched a complete game Friday night, relieved in the sixth and pitched a three-up, three-down inning.

Despite Madison Walker’s RBI-single in the seventh inning, the Gators could not seal the win, setting up for a rubber match Sunday. First pitch for the series finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. (SEC Network+).

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