Alabama will not be swept this season.
With a 9-6 win over Florida on Friday night, the Crimson Tide (40-14, 16-13 SEC) bounced back from a series-opening loss on Thursday night and set up a rubber match on Saturday. The Gators (36-19, 14-15 SEC) erased a 5-run deficit in the first game of the series on Thursday, and they found themselves staring at another 5-run deficit on Friday. They attempted another comeback in the ninth, but Alabama created too much separation.
The Crimson Tide scored 5 runs in the top of the fifth to break a 2-2 tie and jump out ahead. An error scored 2 Alabama runs and then a 2-out double from catcher Brady Neal plated 3 more. Riley Quick struck out 3 batters in the bottom of the fifth to give Alabama firm control.
Braylon Myers replaced Quick in the sixth, ending the redshirt sophomore’s day after a wonderful outing. Quick struck out 7 batters in 5 innings of work while giving up 6 hits and 2 earned to score his eighth win over the season. Myers fanned 3 more batters in 2 innings before handing off to Carson Ozmer.
A sac-fly and a solo homer from first baseman Will Hodo in the top of the ninth added to the Tide’s final tally and provided what would prove to be necessary insurance. Hodo went 1-for-4 at the plate but provided 2 runs. Six different Alabama players recorded a hit.
Florida, which got the scoring going with runs in the first and second innings to take a 2-0 lead, struck out 17 Alabama batters in total. Pierce Coppola got the start on the mound and struck out 10 of the 16 batters he faced in 3.2 innings of work.
The Gator bats just couldn’t get going. They were held scoreless across 6 innings as Alabama took hold of the evening. But Ozmer worked himself into serious trouble in the final frame and cracked the door open for another Gator comeback.
Ozmer walked the lead-off batter after a 7-pitch at-bat. He then gave up a single and hit Florida first baseman Landon Stripling to load the bases. A 1-out double down the left field line from shortstop Bobby Boser scored 2 runs. A sac-fly on the next at-bat scored another. Then right fielder Ty Evans smacked a 2-out single just past an outstretched glove in right-center to score another.
But the comeback fell short in the next at-bat as Brody Donay fouled out to end the game.
The final game of the series — and the regular season — is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET at Condron Family Ballpark on Saturday. Florida, which started the campaign 1-11 in SEC play, is seeking a sixth consecutive series victory to close out the regular season. Alabama is looking for its first series win in Gainesville since 1999.
Alabama baseball holds off late Florida comeback to even series Saturday Down South.
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