In a game that had its start delayed nearly three hours, Florida emerged victorious early Saturday morning against Missouri in a contest that featured 19 hits between the two teams. The Gators took a six-run lead early in the game, but the Tigers managed to crawl back in the second half. However, UF survived 8-5 to take the series opener.
Franco Aleman took to the mound for Florida (23-11, 7-6 SEC) as he seems to be the pitcher coach Kevin O’Sullivan has the most confidence in at the moment. He started the game strong, not allowing any runs from the Tigers (11-21, 4-9 SEC) in the first two innings, though he did give up one single.
After neither team managed to get much going offensively in the first inning and a half, Jud Fabian led off the bottom of the second for Florida with a home run against Missouri’s Seth Halvorsen to break the scoreless tie. Mizzou answered in the third, though, after Ty Wilmsmeyer led off with a double, and he scored later in the inning off a throwing error.
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The game wouldn’t remain tied for long. Jacob Young walked to lead off the inning and proceeded to steal second, and Nate Hickey singled and reached second on a throw. With two runners in scoring position, Kirby McMullen crushed the Gators’ second home run of the night to clear the bases and take a 4-1 lead.
Florida wasn’t done, as Jordan Butler followed a Fabian double with a single that scored him, Kendrick Calilao brought Butler home on a triple and a sacrifice lineout from Colby Halter added one more for good measure. When the dust had settled and Halvorsen got out of the inning, UF led 7-1.
Unfortunately for the Gators, Aleman began to struggle in the fourth inning. He gave up three base hits and a walk to start off the inning, and though he managed to get one more out, he was pulled after 3.1, allowing five hits and three earned runs with three strikeouts. Christian Scott entered the game, and though he allowed a fourth run in the inning to score on a sacrifice, he got out of the inning cleanly otherwise. However, the lead was down to just two runs.
The offensive firepower cooled off a bit after that, at least for a few innings. Scott was locked in, and UF couldn’t manage anymore runs off Halvorsen before he was pulled in the fifth inning after allowing nine hits and seven earned runs. Reliever Konnor Ash gave up two hits in the sixth inning, but he was strong aside from that, and Florida was held scoreless until the eighth inning.
That was when the Gators finally managed some insurance. Jordan Carrion led off the bottom of the frame with a single, and he reached second after a balk from ash. Hickey, who went 4 for 4 at the plate, cracked a double to left-center field to bring Carrion home and stretch the lead to three.
Missouri attempted a ninth-inning rally, but it wasn’t to be. It managed to get two runners on base after a walk and hit-by-pitch from Scott, but with the tying run at the plate, Mark Vierling popped out to left field, ending the game. Scott earned his second win of the season (moving his overall record to 2-2), and he had another shutdown outing in relief, allowing just one hit and no runs in his 5.2 innings of work. He walked just one batter and struck out three.
Weather permitting, Florida will attempt to take the series over the Tigers in Game 2 on Saturday. First pitch for that one is currently scheduled for 1 pm EDT.
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