Live Updates: Alabama Baseball Closes Home Series Against No. 9 Florida

Crimson Tide hopes to snap 12-game series losing streak against Gators, who are targeting another sweep of Alabama.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — It's been a rough series so far for Alabama as No. 9 Florida has showed it's probably underrated. 

The Gators took Game 1 behind their ace, 6-4, and busted open Game 2 after the Crimson Tide managed to tie the score at five after four innings, winning going away 13-6. 

If nothing else, Alabama would certainly like to snap its 12-game losing streak in this series as the Gators have been a consistent national power.

The weather is ideal for a Sunday game: 69 degrees and sunny. It feels too warm in the sunlight, and it's a little cool in the shade. 

Game 3: Florida at Alabama

Ninth Inning

Alabama Athletics

• Florida goes down in order. 

• Gators bring in freshman right-hander Blake Purnell to try and get the save. He'll face the bottom of the Alabama order (7-8-9 batters). Williamson grounds out. Pinckney takes a pitch right on the knee. He limps to first as the potential tying run. Bryce Eblin singles him to third. Jim Jarvis drops down a bunt on the third-base side for a squeeze play and Pinckney scores. Tamez drills one to third that third baseman can't handle for an infield hit, everyone's safe. Florida brings in the right fielder to be an extra infielder on the right side with the bases loaded. Zane Denton drills the first pitch to right. Alabama wins ... Alabama 8, Florida 7

Eighth Inning

Alabama Athletics

Top of the order coming up for Florida. If Alabama can close this out over the final two innings, it'll more than earn the win. 

• Jacob McNairy starts warming up as Dylan Ray falls behind on the leadoff batter and walks him. Colby Halter goes to second on a passed ball, and then Jud Fabian hits a two-run home-run that barely clears the left-field wall on a 2-0 pitch. His eighth of the season. With one out, McNairy enters the game. The Gators rally for another run on a two-out RBI-single by Kendrick Calilao. Florida 7, Alabama 5

• Junior third baseball Zane Denton leads off with a home run to left, his seventh of the season. Florida brings in Nick Ficarrotta, a tall sophomore with a sidearm delivery. Florida 7, Alabama 6

Seventh Inning

Alabama Athletics

Mustard wins the hot dog race. It's a weekend sweep for the yellow condiment. 

• Florida has runners on the corners with one out after a pair of Alabama errors, but Dylan Ray got out of it without any damage. 

Stretch

• Three up, three down for the Crimson Tide.

Sixth inning

Freshman right-hander Dylan Ray in to pitch for Alabama. Hitt goes five innings, four runs, three earned, six hits, 4 Ks, no walks. 

• Gators go down in order and it was the 2-3-4 batters in the order. That's big. 

• Florida brings in senior pitcher Garrett Milchin. Neely gave up three runs in 3 2/3 innings. Alabama had two on and two out when the runner on first got picked off by the catcher for the final out. 

Fifth Inning

Alabama Athletics

• Gators get a baserunner after a Deric Fabian single to center, but he was picked off 1-3-6.

• Bryce Eblin leads off and doubles to left. Alabama takes first lead of weekend on a soft single up the middle by Zane Denton. The shortstop got to it late and made a bad decision to try and throw to first, the run scoring on the error. Alabama 5, Florida 4  

Fourth Inning

Alabama Athletics

• Florida retakes the lead on a Sterlin Thompson rope down the right-field line that stays fair for a solo home run. The count was 1-0, and it's his sixth of the season. Wyatt Langford makes it back-to-back and there's no doubt about his shot as it ended up in the parking lot across the street. His eight of the season. Freshman Dylan Ray starts warming up. Alabama eventually turns a 5-4-3 double play to retire the side. Florida 4, Alabama 2

• Alabama answers in dramatic fashion with a leadoff walk drawn by Tommy Seidl and Owen Diodati knocked the first pitch he saw into the right-field stands. His fifth of the season. Gators get Nick Ficarrotta up in the bullpen, he pitched some Friday night. Florida 4, Alabama 4

Third Inning

Alabama Athletics

• Another error on Williamson, although with this one he made a pretty good play just to knock the ball down. The runner was quickly erased by a pretty 6-4-3 double play. Williamson also had a nice play to get the third out in the second inning when he had to stretch to his right to snare a drive heading for the green grass. 

• Three up, three down for the Crimson Tide. 

Second Inning

Alabama Athletics

• The bottom of the Florida batting order (in this case the 6-7-8 hitters), which has had a really good series thus far, goes down 1-2-3.

• With one out, Owen Diodati and Eric Foggo draw walks. Florida gets the bullpen going with freshman right-hander Brandon Neely. Drew Williamson works a full count and takes ball four. Neely in for the Gators with bases loaded and one out. Andrew Pinckney grounds into what could be a double play, but it's ruled a fielder's choice 6-4 and an error on the second baseman (1 RBI) as his throw was in the dirt. It wasn't pretty, but Alabama ties the game on the play. Alabama 2, Florida 2

First inning

Alabama Athletics

First pitch 1:02 p.m.

• We pick up right where we left off Saturday night. Florida plates two in the first inning on back-to-back doubles by Sterlin Thompson and Wyatt Langford, followed by an error by first baseball Drew Williamson on a ball hit by BT Riopelle, scoring the second run. He was thrown out trying to steal second. Florida 2, Alabama 0 

• Alabama goes three up, three down.

Starting Pitchers

Alabama Athletics

Florida

Timmy Manning (0-0. 5.40 ERA)

Alabama 

Grayson Hitt (1-0, 1.26 ERA)

Batting Orders/Starting Lineups

Alabama Athletics

Florida

1. 2B Colby Halter (.375)
2. CF Jud Fanian (.308)
3. RF Sterlin Thompson (.321)
4. LF Wyatt Langford (.380)
5. C BT Riopelle (.352)
6. 1B Kendrick Calilao (.288)
7. SS Josh Rivera (.262)
8. DH Kris Armstrong (.294)
9. 3B Deric Fabian (.286)

Alabama

1. SS Jim Jarvis (.319)
2. C Dominic Tamez (.329)
3. 3B Zane Denton (.303)
4. RF Tommy Seidl (.394)
5. LF Owen Diodati (.280)
6. DH Eric Foggo (.300)
7. 1B Drew Williamson (.276)
8. Andrew Pickney (.270)
9. 2B Bryce Eblin (.227)

Umpires

HP Michael Phillips
1B Jordan Ferrell
2B Mark Chapman
3B Ray Gregson

The Details

• Who: No. 9 Florida (15-4) at Alabama (12-8)

• Where: Sewell-Thomas Stadium

• When: Sunday 1 p.m.

• TV: SEC Network+ (Play-By-Play: Josh Caray, Color: Lance Cormier)

• Radio: Crimson Tide Spots Network (Play-By-Play: Roger Hoover, Color: Lee Tracey)

• Series: Gators lead 66-57

• Last meeting: Florida took the series opener, 6-4, and Game 2 at The Joe, 13-6.. Previously, the teams last played May 27, 2021, in Hoover as part of the 2021 SEC Tournament. Florida won 7-2. The last weekend series was March 29-31, 2019, in Gainesville, with UF earning a series sweep.

Of Note ...

• The Right Field Terrace at Sewell-Thomas Stadium will be open to all fans for the entire weekend. With the university on spring break, the same rules apply. Coolers and dogs are allowed through Game 6.

• Alabama visits UAB at Regions Field on Tuesday, 6 p.m., an Mississippi State next weekend. 

This story will be continually updated throughout the game.