Florida overcame a six-run deficit to rally back but was unable to hold on in the ninth.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 6 Florida was outlasted by Missouri, 11-10, in the series finale at Taylor Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Four Gators homered in game three, featuring two long balls and five RBI from Colby Shelton<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/colby-shelton/16639> (3-for-6). Jac Caglianone<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jac-caglianone/16365> (2-for-4) and Luke Heyman<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/luke-heyman/16370> (1-for-5) also went yard in the contest.
The Tigers (15-18, 4-8 SEC) struck first in the finale, putting a four-spot on the Gators (17-14, 6-6 SEC) in the bottom of the first. Jackson Beaman scored the first on a wild pitch, followed by a two-run double down the right-field line by Jedier Hernandez. Matt Garcia capped off the frame with an RBI single to center to bring in Hernandez.
Florida got one run right back in the second. Leading off, Heyman hammered a first-pitch breaking ball over the right-center field wall to cut the deficit to 4-1.
Missouri responded with three runs in the bottom half of the second for a 7-1 lead. Jackson Lovich singled home Beaman while Kaden Peer produced a two-run single to left-center. Blake Purnell<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/blake-purnell/16374> entered the game on the mound as a result and induced a 6-3 double play on one pitch.
Despite being lifted from the game on the mound, Caglianone led off the third with a walk. Ty Evans<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/ty-evans/16368> then ripped a single to left and Shelton cleared the bases with a three-run home run to right field, making it a 7-4 ballgame.
Purnell remained on the mound in the third and churned out a zero for the Orange & Blue. One inning later, Missouri extended its lead to 8-4 on an RBI single to right-center off the bat of Peer.
Following a scoreless fifth, Florida cut its deficit to two runs in the sixth. With two men down, Caglianone jumped on the first pitch for a line-drive, two-run homer run to right field.
After another zero from Slater in the sixth, the Gators evened the tally in the top of the seventh. Shelton led off with a single to right and Heyman was plunked. Tyler Shelnut<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/tyler-shelnut/16376> then drove in Shelton with an RBI double to left. With the bases loaded later in the frame, Armando Albert<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/armando-albert/16619> drew a pinch-hit walk to score Heyman to tie the game at 8-8.
Missouri put runners on the corners with one out in the bottom of the seventh, prompting the Orange & Blue to turn to Cade Fisher<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/cade-fisher/16369> on the hill. The southpaw induced a flyout to right and groundout to third base to hold the tie heading into the eighth inning.
The Gators grabbed their first lead of the day in the eighth. After an infield single by Evans was lost in the wind, Shelton smacked his second homer of the day over the left-center field wall for a 10-8 Florida advantage.
The Tigers had an answer for the Gators in the bottom of the ninth. Pinch-runner Tucker Moore scampered home on a wild pitch and Brock Daniels doubled to right-center with two outs to tie it. Jeric Curtis provided the game-winning blow, singling to center to score Daniels for an 11-10 walk-off win.
Mizzou reliver Jacob Peaden (2-1) earned the victory with 2 2/3 innings of two run ball. He was charged with four hits allowed, one walk and four strikeouts.
UF relief pitcher Luke McNeillie<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/luke-mcneillie/16629> (3-5) suffered the loss. He tossed one-third of an inning and surrendered one earned run on two hits while fanning one.
Caglianone received a no-decision after allowing seven runs (six earned) on seven hits and three walks in 1 1/3 frames.
Missouri starter Bryce Mayer was handed a no-decision as well, giving up four earned runs across four innings. The right-hander concluded with five hits allowed, three walks and seven strikeouts.
NOTABLES
* Sunday’s official attendance was 1,449.
* Florida overcame a six-run deficit to take a 10-8 lead in the eighth.
* Shelnut has reached base safely in 18-straight games followed closely by Caglianone at 17-consecutive.
* Heyman hit his eighth home run of the year and second of the series in the second inning.
* Shelton connected for his 14th and 15th home runs of the season, with the latter giving Florida a 10-8 lead in the eighth.
* It marked Shelton’s fourth multi-homer game of the season.
* Caglianone swatted his team-leading 16th homer of the campaign in the sixth.
* The Gators are 44-19 in weekend series since 2023 and 53-22 across the team’s previous 25 series.
* Florida is 43-22 in its last 65 games vs. SEC opponents including a 35-19 regular-season mark.
* Florida is now 32-7 all-time vs. Missouri including 12-6 on the road.
* The Gators are 26-7 against the Tigers under head coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/kevin-o-sullivan/1752> (11-7 away).
FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O’SULLIVAN
On not capitalizing in the ninth…
“Yeah, there’s no question. This is a tough weekend, there’s no question about it. Honestly, we made so many mistakes during the game. I know it looks like we lost it there in the ninth, but bottom line is we had bases loaded, nobody out and we struck out three times in a row. We had a tack on when the left-hander came in and threw four straight balls to walk the leadoff man. We had another 1-0 count with Jaylen up and had another take on and swung at the first pitch, so we missed a sign there and flew out to right. That could have been another inning. We got off to a tough start. We battled back but we just obviously made way too many mistakes today.”
On the situational hitting…
“Yeah, our situational hitting was not good this weekend. We’ve gotta go back to the drawing board and we’ve gotta get better at it. I don’t know what else to say other than it’s disappointing. Some of our hitters, they were getting spin the entire weekend, 3-2 sliders and we struck out way too many times. I mean, the bottom line is we’ve gotta get better and we’ve got to executionally hit way better. It’s extremely disappointing.”
UP NEXT
Florida remains on the road with a Tuesday visit to Florida State at 7 p.m. on ESPN 2.
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