Florida’s drops first game of doubleheader against Arkansas to lose series
It took 15 innings for Florida’s offense to put a crooked number up in Fayetteville, but the Gators only enjoyed a three-run lead for a few minutes as the bullpen blew it in the seventh and UF fell, 6-5, against Arkansas in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday.
The floodgates opened up for both teams in the seventh. The Gators scored three on four hits and two walks. Only one of the runs was charged to Arkansas starter Brady Tygart, who allowed just two over six innings.
The Razorbacks got those three runs back immediately, though, belting a pair of two-run homers off Ryan Slater and Luke McNeillie to take the lead, 6-4. McNeillie pitched last night in the series opener, so a tired arm explains the home run off him, but Slater has inexplicably struggled in recent weeks.
Florida had the game tied in the eighth off a Colby Shelton sacrifice fly to center field, but the ultimate deke got Brody Donay to leave third early. He shouldn’t have left after getting back to third. The relay throw gave the cutoff man enough time to adjust and hose Donay at home.
Instead of a tie game with two outs and men on the corners, Florida went back to the dugout with only an inning left to manufacture another opportunity.
Cade Kurland drew a walk to start a two-out rally in the ninth and Hayden Yost kept it going with a single, but Donay struck out to end the game. It was a rough final two frames for Donay. If Tanner Garrison were healthy, he’d probably be on the bench for the series finale instead of the likely designated hitter.
Brandon Neely was once again excellent in his start, throwing 64 of 107 pitches for strikes over 5 1/3 innings. He allowed just one run to cross on three hits and two walks while striking out six. Cade Fisher pitched a scoreless eighth for Florida despite allowing a hit and a walk.
Jac Caglianone takes the mound for Florida around 5 p.m. for the series finale.
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