Starting pitcher Russell Sandefer set career highs with seven shutout innings and 11 strikeouts.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 21 Florida led from the bottom of the third until the top of the ninth but was outlasted by Ole Miss, 5-2, in the rubber match at Condron Family Ballpark on Saturday night.
With the loss to the Rebels (22-11, 5-7 SEC), the Gators (24-9, 7-5 SEC) spoiled a magnificent outing from starting pitcher Russell Sandefer. Sandefer chucked a career-high seven shutout, two-hit innings and also fanned a career-high 11 batters while walking just one. The series loss marked Florida’s first at home in SEC play since April 4-6 of last season.
Making his second weekend start as a Gator, Sandefer retired the side in order in the top of the first on 14 pitches while striking out two. The junior right-hander worked another clean frame in the second while fanning two more Rebels. Florida went quietly in the home half, as both Sandefer and Ole Miss starter Cade Townsend went six up and six down to open the contest.
Sandefer made it nine-straight batters retired to begin the game in the third, striking out Austin Fawley for the middle out to reach five strikeouts. The Gators halted Townsend’s streak right off the bat in the bottom of the inning, as Jacob Kendall drilled a leadoff triple to right field. With one out, a wild pitch to Kolt Myers let Kendall scamper home safely for a 1-0 UF lead. Myers proceeded to single through the left side but was left stranded on first base.
Now pitching with the lead, Sandefer surrendered his first baserunner via a leadoff single by Dom Decker in the fourth. Decker did not advance any further, as Sandefer fanned the next two Rebels and got Will Furniss to ground out to second base to strand his first baserunner. Cade Kurland and Landon Stripling collected one-out singles in the bottom of the fourth but were left on base.
In the fifth, Sandefer logged his fourth clean frame. Aided by a fantastic fielding gem in the six-five hole by Myers in the sixth, Sandefer navigated around a two-out walk by picking up his career-high ninth strikeout – getting Tristan Bissetta swinging on three pitches. He fanned back-to-back Rebels to reach 11 strikeouts in the seventh, stranding a two-out single by retiring Cannon Goldin on a groundout to first base.
The Gators tacked on a second run in the home half of the seventh, beginning with a leadoff single up the middle by Stripling. Cole Stanford moved him to second on a sacrifice bunt and with two men down, Myers lined a 1-1 pitch to right-center to plate Stripling for a 2-0 ballgame.
After seven scoreless frames and 93 pitches, Sandefer was lifted in favor of closer Joshua Whritenour in the top of the eighth. Whritenour quickly fanned the first two batters he faced before stranding a two-out walk by inducing a flyout to right of Decker.
Taking a two-run edge into the final frame, Ole Miss extended the contest on a two-run homer to left field from Judd Utermark following a leadoff walk by Bissetta. The Rebels then took the lead on a sacrifice fly to center off the bat of Brayden Randle before Hayden Federico pushed the advantage to 5-2 on a two-out, two-run single to center.
Needing three runs to force extra innings, the Gators got a leadoff single to center from Stripling to open the bottom of the ninth but the next three batters went down in order as the Rebels secured the series.
Ole Miss reliever Walker Hooks (2-0) picked up the victory behind 2 1/3 scoreless innings to close it out for the Rebels. He allowed one hit and struck out three.
Whritenour (2-1) was saddled with the loss, giving up three earned runs in one inning for his first blown save of the campaign. He was charged with two hits allowed, two walks and two strikeouts.
Sandefer received a no-decision despite being absolutely brilliant on the hill. The junior hurler dominated over seven shutout, two-hit frames and struck out a career-high 11 batters against one free pass.
Townsend also did not factor into the decision. The sophomore righty threw six innings of one-run ball on four hits, zero walks and six strikeouts.
Stripling (3-for-4) and Myers (2-for-3) were the lone Gators to register multiple hits.
NOTABLES
* Florida had starting pitchers complete seven innings in consecutive games for the first time since June 4, 2023 against UConn and Texas Tech in the NCAA Gainesville Regional (Hurston Waldrep and Cade Fisher).
* In the two seven-inning starts by Aidan King and Sandefer against Ole Miss, the UF duo combined for 14.0 shutout innings pitched on six hits, 19 strikeouts and one walk.
* Making his second weekend start in Orange & Blue, Sandefer set career highs with 11 strikeouts and 7.0 scoreless innings pitched while allowing just two hits and one walk.
* The Gators lost their first home SEC series since the first weekend of April over one year ago from April 4-6, 2025 vs. Vanderbilt.
* The Gators have won eight of their last 10 SEC series, going 21-9 across their last 30 SEC games dating back to last season.
* Kendall hit his second triple of the season in the third inning and scored on a wild pitch.
* Whritenour blew his first save in six chances this season (5-of-6).
* The Gators have recorded double-digit strikeouts in 24 of the last 29 games.
* The Gators have won 41 of their last 55 regular-season games dating back to 2025.
* Florida is now 59-58 all-time and 34-19 in Gainesville against Ole Miss.
* The Gators are 22-19 overall and 12-6 at home vs. the Rebels under Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan.
* Florida has won 11 of the last 15 meetings against Ole Miss in Gainesville.
* Saturday night’s official attendance was 5,847.
FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O’SULLIVAN
On Sandefer’s outing and the ninth inning…
“I thought Russ was outstanding. As good as Aidan (King) was last night, and we were out a few starters, but we have to have the next man step-up mentality. We got to the eighth inning, and got into a couple 3-0 counts, and then obviously fell apart there in the ninth inning. It all started with a leadoff walk. We just threw a fastball that missed the mark, next one: left it over the plate and it ended up being a two-run homer. Then they get a base hit. We then go to Ernie (Lugo-Canchola). Left on left. Walk him. Now we have a first and second, nobody out. We bring in Cooper Walls during a bunt situation. We call for a fastball away, and he hits the left-handed hitter on the other side of the plate. We call a changeup: it’s in the dirt. We go to the bullpen in the middle of the count, which doesn’t happen very often…. We just fell apart.”
On the bullpen in the last frame…
“I mean, we could flip a coin here. At one point, Cooper was our third starter, not too long ago. Like I said, I spent some time with him this week, and he was in a good head space. So, it really comes down to all four of our guys. It’s the leadoff walk and then not locating your fastball after, which was left over the plate with two strikes. We got a left-on-left situation and ended up walking them. Coop is in a bunt situation… So everyone had a hand in it.”
ON DECK
Prior to heading to Athens, Ga, for a three-game series at Georgia (April 10-12), the Gators visit Florida State in Tallahassee, Fla. on Tuesday, April 7 at 7 p.m. on ESPN 2.
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