Mac Guscette went 2-for-4 at the plate and tied the game in the seventh with his first-career home run.
ATHENS, Ga. – No. 14 Florida rallied in the ninth inning to take a two-run lead, but No. 23 Georgia answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame to defeat the Gators with a 7-6 walk-off victory at Foley Field on Thursday night.
The Bulldogs (20-6, 4-3 SEC) jumped on the Gators (18-8, 3-4 SEC) on just the second pitch of the night, as Ben Anderson hit a leadoff home run to left-center field. Cole Tate followed with a triple to left field and came in to score on an RBI single to right off the bat of Corey Collins.
Faced with an early 2-0 deficit, Barco rebounded to blank the Bulldogs in the second inning. The Florida bats took advantage of the zero in the following frame, knotting the game up with a pair of runs. Colby Halter<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15096&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=7sfKVNGGUL3iG29IbDFhganTw9iRsi0lXQmBWdmax0FseY_woMMJzlExjUoa0uZl&s=dLLntmsVayXPxS-p2hjfbkJSZbFsL7GQ1NV7MG6F62M&e= > kicked off the third with a single to right, then advanced to second on Jud Fabian’s<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15127&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=7sfKVNGGUL3iG29IbDFhganTw9iRsi0lXQmBWdmax0FseY_woMMJzlExjUoa0uZl&s=CyYBzUXHcY3vUWm4ryhA5ol4nLi3KvfMk0ez-cDKUJE&e= > second walk in as many at bats. From there, Wyatt Langford<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15097&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=7sfKVNGGUL3iG29IbDFhganTw9iRsi0lXQmBWdmax0FseY_woMMJzlExjUoa0uZl&s=ICbKmzoYV_mIvFLm9SUWuCaIJv_-gIx1LeleI52eAe0&e= > plated Halter with an RBI single to left while BT Riopelle<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15114&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=7sfKVNGGUL3iG29IbDFhganTw9iRsi0lXQmBWdmax0FseY_woMMJzlExjUoa0uZl&s=1rygINlzNUOiR9afc_3VpO0bRbPaoS_IXKofv3QjREA&e= > mimicked his Gators teammate with an RBI single to left field of his own that scored J. Fabian.
Barco produced another zero thereafter, holding Georgia scoreless for the second-consecutive inning in the bottom of the third. The Florida ace closed out the frame with back-to-back strikeouts, raising his total to four punchouts.
Georgia found the scoring column again in the fourth. On a 1-1 offering, first baseman Parks Harber homered to right center to break the tie and put the Bulldogs on top, 3-2. Barco returned to the hill and held Georgia in check in the fifth, racking up his sixth strikeout before exiting in favor of right-handed reliever Ryan Slater<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15105&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=7sfKVNGGUL3iG29IbDFhganTw9iRsi0lXQmBWdmax0FseY_woMMJzlExjUoa0uZl&s=lpr219jy7OWuDjlpbK-1A2Uh9qbSD4fkZh-zM6Ek79o&e= > the following inning.
The Bulldogs wasted no time getting to the Florida bullpen. In the first at bat following Barco’s departure, Chaney Rogers connected on his first homer of the year to extend the Georgia lead to 4-2.
With the Gators running out of opportunities to battle back, Mac Guscette<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15095&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=7sfKVNGGUL3iG29IbDFhganTw9iRsi0lXQmBWdmax0FseY_woMMJzlExjUoa0uZl&s=iWjP4y_gGGw1vk2JEwc9lvIPBIgZr92cAIzOhNrXRlU&e= > provided the Orange & Blue with some late-inning magic in the seventh. Following a leadoff walk by Deric Fabian<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15119&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=7sfKVNGGUL3iG29IbDFhganTw9iRsi0lXQmBWdmax0FseY_woMMJzlExjUoa0uZl&s=fhRsFmPAKy4V5_u7Hjxr2rE4edO4UXTK8BojGiWpCh4&e= >, Guscette stepped to the dish as the potential tying run. After working a 2-1 count, Guscette found a barrel and unloaded for a two-run shot to left center, tying the game at four runs apiece and marking the first home run of his career.
In the top of the ninth, J. Fabian handed the Gators their first lead of the night. On the first pitch of the at bat, the Ocala, Fla. native blasted a long, two-run homer to left-center field to put Florida ahead, 6-4.
Down to their last out with runners on first and second in the bottom of the ninth, Georgia came back to life at the plate. Garrett Blaylock picked up an RBI single to left field to bring the Bulldogs within one run. Josh McAllister then doubled down the left-field line, scoring both Connor Tate and Blaylock to hand the Bulldogs a 7-6 walk-off win.
Barco received the no-decision, pitching five innings with three earned runs allowed on seven hits and two walks while striking out six. Slater totaled 3 2/3 frames in relief with three earned runs allowed on two hits and two walks. The right-hander struck out four.
Right-handed reliever Blake Purnell<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15103&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=7sfKVNGGUL3iG29IbDFhganTw9iRsi0lXQmBWdmax0FseY_woMMJzlExjUoa0uZl&s=Q97xwsxrorgta8dwvPipc2PBfpTYJqx9P1PxUtdKI4U&e= > (2-2) was saddled with the loss, allowing one earned run on two hits in the ninth inning.
Bulldogs reliever Jaden Woods (1-0) earned his first victory of the year after tossing 2 2/3 innings with two earned runs allowed. He surrendered three hits and one walk while striking out four.
Georgia starting pitcher Garrett Brown lasted three innings on the mound, allowing two earned runs on four hits and three walks. He struck out one.
Guscette (2-for-4) was the lone Gator to pick up multiple hits in the game one defeat.
NOTABLES
* Guscette (2-for-4) tied the game at four runs in the seventh with his first-career home run.
* J. Fabian drew three free passes in game one and now has 27 walks vs. 21 strikeouts on the season.
* Purnell made his 15th appearance of the season and surrendered an earned run in an outing for just the second time all year.
* Florida is now 191-112-2 all-time vs. Georgia including an 87-64-1 mark in Athens.
* The Gators are 28-14 vs. the Bulldogs under head coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_coaches.aspx-3Frc-3D1445&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=7sfKVNGGUL3iG29IbDFhganTw9iRsi0lXQmBWdmax0FseY_woMMJzlExjUoa0uZl&s=lcNokvaqii7BcRweWjc_y0VVgM7KV-jvHUeVYD_SWLg&e= >.
* Florida is 11-8 vs. Georgia in Athens under O’Sullivan.
* Florida has won 14 of the last 22 meetings including 11 of the last 18.
* The Gators have won 17 of their last 23 games overall.
* Thompson extended his team-leading hitting streak to seven games.
FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O’SULLIVAN
On the game one loss…
“Just got off to a little bit of a rough start in the first. Gave up a couple there in the first. Had trouble getting the ball down, but Hunter, he hung in there and gave us five. Then, obviously, in the ninth inning there we had a walk and a hit by pitch. The theme of the year. We’ve been walking too many guys and hitting too many guys. You just got to throw strikes there. We struck out arguably their best hitter in [Corey] Collins. We just got to execute a couple more pitches. The game could have went a different direction. Credit Georgia. They swung the bats well.”
On Barco’s performance…
“Getting out of the first with only two runs was great at that part of the game. They could’ve opened it up a little bit more. He’s had trouble getting the ball down in the first couple innings. Hunter’s been great for us all year long. Just one of those starts where he had a little trouble getting the ball down.”
On Guscette’s home run…
“He swung the bat good on Tuesday and we felt like he would give us some really quality at bats. Obviously, he had a really good game at the plate.”
UP NEXT
Florida and Georgia meet again for game two on Friday evening at 6 p.m. ET. The matchup will stream live on SEC Network+.
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