Vanderbilt took the lead in the ninth for the win despite Florida outhitting the Commodores, nine to five.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida evened the tally in the seventh but was ultimately edged by No. 23 Vanderbilt, 3-2, in game two at Condron Family Ballpark on Saturday afternoon
For the second-straight day, the Gators (20-13, 1-10 SEC) and Commodores (23-8, 6-5 SEC) traded zeros in the first two innings before Vanderbilt struck in the third. This time the Dores used a solo shot from Jonathan Vastine to open an early, 1-0 lead.
UF starter Aidan King<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/aidan-king/17366> bounced back for a clean frame in the fourth, but Vanderbilt extended its advantage to 2-0 with a two-out, RBI double to center field off the bat of Mike Mancini. King stranded one runner by fanning RJ Austin swinging, who leaned his elbow into the pitch to become King’s fifth strikeout victim.
In the home half of the fifth, the Gators broke through to cut their deficit to 2-1. Landon Stripling<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/landon-stripling/17351> drew a one-out walk followed by a two-out single to right by Hayden Yost<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/hayden-yost/17337>, giving way for Justin Nadeau<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/justin-nadeau/17342> to produce an RBI single through the left side.
After a zero from reliever Luke McNeillie<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/luke-mcneillie/17330> in the sixth, Florida loaded the bases with one-out in the home half as the Gators sandwiched a Blake Cyr<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/blake-cyr/17347> single between walks of Luke Heyman<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/luke-heyman/17327> and Stripling. That forced Vanderbilt to turn to right-hander Alex Kranzler out of the bullpen, who retired the next two Gators in order to keep it a one-run game.
McNeillie chucked a scoreless inning of his own for Florida in the seventh, allowing the Gators to tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the frame. Nadeau and Bobby Boser<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/bobby-boser/17349> led off with singles, with Heyman providing a clutch, RBI single to center for a brand-new ballgame.
Completing his third-straight scoreless inning in the eighth, McNeillie retired the Commodores in order to hold the score. Vanderbilt retook the lead with two outs in the ninth, using a solo homer to right by Colin Barczi to steal a 3-2 victory in game two.
Dores relief pitcher Alex Franzler (5-1) recorded the win after tossing 2 2/3 frames of one-run ball on three hits and one walk. He also struck out one batter. Fellow reliever Connor Fennell secured his first save after pitching a scoreless ninth with one hit allowed and two strikeouts.
UF reliever Billy Barlow<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/billy-barlow/17355> (1-3) was handed the loss, giving up one earned run on one hit in his lone inning of work.
King did not factor into the decision. He allowed two earned runs across five innings, finishing with four hits allowed, two walks and five strikeouts.
Vanderbilt starter Cody Bowker completed 4 2/3 frames and was charged with one earned run on four hits and two walks. The right-hander struck out seven.
Nadeau (2-for-5) was the lone Gator to register multiple hits, scoring one run while driving in another on Saturday.
NOTABLES
* The Gators out-hit the Commodores, nine to five.
* Making his fifth-career start, King held Vanderbilt to two runs across five innings while striking out five.
* Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/kevin-o-sullivan/1999> was ejected in the first inning.
* Florida broke a 15-inning scoreless streak on a two-out, RBI single by Nadeau in the bottom of the fifth.
* Heyman tied the game in the seventh with an RBI single to center.
* McNeillie pitched three shutout, no-hit innings of relief with one walk and two strikeouts.
* Shelton has reached safely in 32 of 33 contests this season.
* Shelton hit his SEC-leading 15th double in the ninth.
* Boser has reached base safely in 13-straight games.
* Florida is now 148-84-1 all-time against Vanderbilt including 84-26 at home.
* The Gators are 35-26 overall and 19-11 in Gainesville in the series under Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/kevin-o-sullivan/1999>.
* Saturday ‘s official attendance was 5,639.
UP NEXT
The Gators and Commodores face off in the finale on Sunday, scheduled for 12 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
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