All Gators

Gators Drop Opener Vs. Georgia

Despite a seven-run outing offensively, the Florida Gators consistently lost momentum as Georgia won, 8-7.

Cam Parker

The Florida Gators dropped Friday's opener to Georgia, 8-7, due to an inability to sustain momentum.
The Florida Gators dropped Friday's opener to Georgia, 8-7, due to an inability to sustain momentum. / Kyle Lander / Gators Illustrated

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- The Florida Gators had plenty of chances on Friday against Georgia at Condon Ballpark, but inconsistent pitching and an inability to maintain momentum cost the team in an 8-7 loss.

Holding a 7-6 lead in the top of the ninth, Florida reliever Alex Philpott gave up a two-run home run off the bat of Ryland Zaborowski to give Georgia the lead. Although the Gators would put runners on the corners with two outs, designated hitter Brody Donay struck out on three pitches to end the game.

The lead trade in the ninth was a microcosm of an overall back-and-forth game in which Florida could never hold onto momentum with eight total lead changes.

"It's been theme, the rebound runs," head coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "... Every time we scored, we went out there, and for the most part, gave up runs and lost the momentum."

After Colby Shelton jacked a three-run home run with no outs in the first inning to put the Gators ahead, freshman starter Aidan King loaded the bases with no outs, and Georgia's Devin Obee capitalized with a bases-clearing double to tie the game.

Georgia then took the lead, 4-3, after UF second baseman Brendan Lawson recorded a throwing error on an infield single, which scored Obee from second base.

In the third, UF third baseman Bobby Boser tied the game with a 400-foot home run over the center field wall, but Georgia re-took the lead off a groundout to score a runner from third base in the fourth inning.

A home run from Luke Heyman tied the game, 5-5, in the bottom of the fourth, before Georgia answered in the seventh with a sac-fly to take the lead. Florida would re-take the lead in the eighth with an RBI triple from Heyman and a sac-fly from Hayden Yost, but the two-run shot from Zaborowski officially gave the Bulldogs the win after Donay's three-pitch strikeout.

"We just need better at-bats," O'Sullivan said. "We knew (Georgia pitcher) Kol Smith was going to spin the ball in the ninth. There's no guessing. (Blake Cyr) went down looking. (Smith) wasn't going to give in. He was going to spin the ball, spin the ball, spin the ball... We just didn't put very good at-bats there."

An injury-riddled pitching staff did no favors for Florida, who was without regular Friday starter Liam Peterson due to an undisclosed injury. In his place stood freshman Aidan King, who only lasted four innings with six hits and five earned runs allowed.

"Bottom line, and I outlined it to all of our pitchers before the game, out starters need to start going to six innings. Bottom line. Pitch counts are too high," O'Sullivan said.

Relievers Luke McNeillie and Philpott fared slightly better with three combined earned runs over the next five innings, but it still wasn't enough with McNeillie walking three batters and Philpott giving up the game-winning home run.

Next Up

The Gators return to Condron Ballpark on Saturday for the second game of the series against Georgia. With King, last week's Saturday starter, taking the mound on Friday, Florida will turn to Billy Barlow to start on Saturday, O'Sullivan confirmed.

First pitch is at noon with streaming coverage on SEC Network+.

More From Gators Illustrated

Published
Cam Parker
CAM PARKER

Cam Parker is a contributing writer at AllGators.com of FanNation-Sports Illustrated and is a recent graduate of the University of Florida with a degree in journalism. He also covers and broadcasts Alachua County high school sports with The Prep Zone and Mainstreet Daily News. When he isn't writing, he enjoys listening to '70s music such as The Band or Lynyrd Skynyrd, binge-watching shows and playing with his cat, Chester.

Home/Baseball