Kendrick Calilao’s three-run shot lifts Gators past Kentucky in Game 2

Florida spent much of its Friday night game against Kentucky playing catch up. Heading into the ninth inning, the Gators looked poised to take a series loss against the Wildcats. But instead, a monster ninth inning (bolster by Kendrick Calilao, who crushed a three-run homer over the left-field wall during pinch-hitting duties) gave UF an equalizing 8-5 win, forcing a decisive Game 3.

Both starting pitchers in UK’s Sean Harney and Florida’s Tommy Mace were fantastic out the gate. They each progressed through the opposing lineup in order in the first inning. Though Harney gave up the first hit of the game at the top of the second, Mace was the first to flinch significantly, giving up three singles in the bottom of the inning. The latter one from Cam Hill brought two runs across to give the Wildcats the early lead.

UF (32-14, 14-9 SEC) quickly evened it up in the third, though, when Harney walked Nate Hickey and a homer from Jud Fabian cleared the bases. Not yet satisfied, he went yard again in the fifth for a solo shot that scored the next run of the game, giving the Gators a one-run lead.

That lead wouldn’t last, though. In the bottom of the inning, Mace allowed a pair of RBI singles as Kentucky (27-16, 11-12 SEC) regained the lead, albeit at a slim 4-3 margin.

Wildcats reliever Dillon Marsh and Mace both worked through the sixth inning cleanly, and neither allowed a hit in the seventh. Following the inning, rain caused the game to be briefly delayed, but Kirby McMullen led off the eighth with a double.

Calilao then entered as a pinch hitter, and his first hit was an RBI, as well, bringing McMullen home to tie the game. But the Gators couldn’t get anything else after three straight outs, and Kentucky responded at the bottom of the frame.

Trey Van Der Weide entered for Mace, and he gave up a lead-off single and allowed the runner to advance to second on a balk. Following a groundout, Ryan Ritter reached base on a fielding error from Josh Rivera and stole second. Van Der Weide hit a batter to load the bases, and with one out, a run came across on a fielder’s choice from Hill to take the lead.

Entering a do-or-die top of the ninth, Florida got a good start as Jacob Young walked to lead off. But after a strikeout from Hickey and a deep flyout from Fabian, the Gators were down to their final out. Kris Armstrong kept the game going with a single that advanced Young to second, bringing Calilao to the plate.

With one swing, he put three runs across and gave the Gators an insurmountable three-run lead. At the bottom of the ninth, Kentucky’s leadoff hitter Austin Schultz almost sent one over the wall himself on a ball that was just barely saved by Fabian. The Wildcats managed to put a single on the board, but a fielder’s choice and a strikeout from Jack Leftwich, who entered at the top of the inning, ended the game.

With the Game 2 win, UF salvages a chance to win the series heading into the final game on Saturday. First pitch for Game 3 is set for 2 p.m. EDT in Lexington.

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Series Preview: No. 10 Florida heads to Kentucky for three-game tilt