Ty Evans provided the game-winning, three-run home run in the eighth inning.
Gainesville, Fla. – No. 3 Florida used a four-run eighth inning to come from behind and clinch the season series over Florida State with a 5-3 victory at Condron Family Ballpark on Tuesday night.
Florida State (13-19, 4-11 ACC) scored its three runs all in the sixth inning, as the trio of starting pitcher Ryan Slater<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/ryan-slater/15506>, Cade Fisher<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/cade-fisher/15513> and Brandon Neely<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/brandon-neely/15499> held the Noles to five hits while issuing zero walks. Ty Evans<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/ty-evans/15491> provided the heroics on the offensive end, entering as a defensive replacement in the top of the eighth before launching the go-ahead, three-run homer in the bottom half of the frame.
The Gators (28-6, 9-3 SEC) and Seminoles were locked in a pitchers’ duel in the early going, as Slater and Ben Barrett tossed zeros through the fifth. Slater was in command from the beginning, needing just five pitches in the first and reaching 44 pitches through five shutout innings.
Florida State broke through in the sixth, plating three runs on a pair of RBI doubles. DeAmez Ross lined an 0-1 offering to right field to score Jordan Carrion, followed by a two-run two-bagger to left-center off the bat of James Tibbs to make it 3-0.
The Gators followed suit, as their bats came alive in the sixth inning as well. Michael Robertson<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/michael-robertson/15505> drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a Wyatt Langford<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/wyatt-langford/15497> single, then scored on an RBI single to left field by Josh Rivera<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/josh-rivera/15504>.
Fisher relieved Slater in the seventh and held the score at 3-1 with a quick, one-two-three inning. The southpaw fired another clean frame in eighth, passing the torch to the bats to handle the rest.
Having trailed the entirety of the contest, the Gators flipped the switch in the bottom of the eighth. With two runners in scoring position and two outs, a failed pickoff attempt at second base allowed Richie Schiekofer<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/richie-schiekofer/15520> to score from third base and cut the deficit to one. Following a Colby Halter<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/colby-halter/15495> walk, Evans made his way to the dish after entering the game in the top of the inning. On a 1-1 count, Evans provided the game-winning blow with a go-ahead, three-run home run onto the left-field berm.
With a newfound 5-3 lead, Neely entered the ballgame in the ninth to shut it down. Using 16 pitches, Neely struck out the side in order to improve to 7-for-7 in save chances this season.
Fisher (3-0) earned the win after throwing two perfect innings of relief with one strikeout. Slater received the no-decision despite picking up his first-career quality start. The Palm Harbor, Fla. native gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits while striking out one.
FSU reliever Doug Kirkland was saddled with the loss, allowing two earned runs across two-thirds of an inning. He surrendered one hit and one walk while striking out one.
With the Gators winning each of the first two games of the series, Florida and Florida State will face off one last time on Tuesday, May 2 in Jacksonville.
NOTABLES
* The Gators have won 21 of the last 25 meetings against the Seminoles.
* Florida improves to 126-131-1 against FSU including 66-49 in Gainesville.
* Florida is 34-19 in the series under Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/kevin-o-sullivan/1551> including 18-3 at home.
* Florida has not lost a regular season series to FSU since 2015.
* Slater pitched a career-high six innings while notching the first quality start of his career.
* The right-hander previously through five innings twice, most recently doing so in relief vs. Alabama on March 19, 2022.
* Neely improved to 7-for-7 in save chances, which leads the SEC.
* Florida has struck out 372 batters in 293 1/3 innings – translating to 11.4 per nine innings.
* Through 34 games, Florida has a run differential of plus-146.The Gators have 369 hits through 34 games (10.9 hits/game).
FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O’SULLIVAN
On tonight’s storyline…
“I think there’s a lot of storylines. I think the efficiency that [Ryan Slater<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/ryan-slater/15506>] had, I think 62 pitches over six. Kind of gets lost in the shuffle there a little bit is Cade Fisher<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/cade-fisher/15513>. He keeps the game right there, 22 pitches over two and obviously, gives Neely a chance to close it out. Not an easy night to hit because of the wind, but really happy for Ty to have the opportunity to come up with the big three-run homer.”
On pitching efficiency…
“Baseball is a funny game. It can flip just like that. 48 hours ago, we walked 18 in a game and tonight we walked none. We knew once the game got away from us on Saturday that Ryan was going to be our best option to pitch tonight.”
On Neely’s outing…
“His command, his fastball command, was about as good as it has been all year long. You guys saw him pitch last year, he was 88-92 and now he’s pitching at 94-95. He’s just a different guy. His mound presence is really, really good. He was outstanding tonight, obviously.”
UP NEXT
Florida hosts Georgia this weekend in a three-game series from Friday, April 14 through Sunday, April 16. Game two airs on SEC Network at 7 p.m. on Saturday while the other installments stream on SEC Network+ on Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
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