No. 8 Florida Drops Series to No. 21 LSU
Right-handed pitcher Tyler Nesbitt extended his career-opening scoreless streak 17 1/3 innings that includes 5 2/3 frames this season.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 8 Florida fell in Sunday’s finale to No. 21 LSU as the Tigers claimed the series with an 11-2 victory.
The Gators (17-7, 3-3 SEC) and Tigers (17-7, 3-3 SEC) both trotted out pitchers making their first-career starts in game three, as Florida’s 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=L6Zq5t41NJLSs1XvZfmCTTAfRYyE1-Fqaz2EyX6S0lvC56kKUrod_gUgysvb0ti1&s=o0msGa85TzTYPQDTJwoeQ_35cUNj8gC1s3S7SuY1SpU&e= > and LSU’s Samuel Dutton received opening nods. The two arms traded zeros through the third inning.
In the fourth, the Tigers broke through with four runs. Brayden Jobert and Hayden Travinski connected for two-run homers, prompting the Gators to turn to right-hander Nick Ficarrotta<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15094&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=L6Zq5t41NJLSs1XvZfmCTTAfRYyE1-Fqaz2EyX6S0lvC56kKUrod_gUgysvb0ti1&s=gpdVA1pGNcSPmVc9R17ldBtWuGdiaHGSYqqWpgq-X6w&e= > out of the bullpen.
Ficarrotta and right-handed reliever Philip Abner<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15126&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=L6Zq5t41NJLSs1XvZfmCTTAfRYyE1-Fqaz2EyX6S0lvC56kKUrod_gUgysvb0ti1&s=cGjjSR4pfM4OEsfr6jAfDKFuhNAWl_rjfeBiu4Afgt0&e= > combined to produce a scoreless frame in the fifth, but LSU broke the game open in the top of the sixth. The Tigers put together a seven-run inning to push the score to 11-0, highlighted by a three-run shot by Jobert.
Florida responded in the bottom half with a pair of runs. Sterlin Thompson<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15108&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=L6Zq5t41NJLSs1XvZfmCTTAfRYyE1-Fqaz2EyX6S0lvC56kKUrod_gUgysvb0ti1&s=fgyVHtcUGscvIqoQD61CUGzMryF-iuUveWyiVp3o3VI&e= > got things started with a leadoff triple to right center and came in to score on an RBI single up the middle off the bat of 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=L6Zq5t41NJLSs1XvZfmCTTAfRYyE1-Fqaz2EyX6S0lvC56kKUrod_gUgysvb0ti1&s=6kVu9EvVAlWizyRASvIBWh1zCwWjbgYZ_ejPVHGXSdE&e= >. After loading up the bases, Kris Armstrong<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15090&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=L6Zq5t41NJLSs1XvZfmCTTAfRYyE1-Fqaz2EyX6S0lvC56kKUrod_gUgysvb0ti1&s=yvFq770zG1yusPf7-5kgh423E5Dz6vLjPpKsmMRILd8&e= > drove in Langford with a groundout to first base.
Relievers Brandon Neely<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15118&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=L6Zq5t41NJLSs1XvZfmCTTAfRYyE1-Fqaz2EyX6S0lvC56kKUrod_gUgysvb0ti1&s=ylkU9jbgfrQhUAWfjwMKHU0KiT-iCiKitFuD-BXZSC8&e= > and Tyler Nesbitt<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15101&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=L6Zq5t41NJLSs1XvZfmCTTAfRYyE1-Fqaz2EyX6S0lvC56kKUrod_gUgysvb0ti1&s=4FTn8OzyItfxQouk9-fRohpGnzoDLnovJyZ9byUYbpQ&e= > worked scoreless innings for Florida in the seventh and eighth, respectively. With Nesbitt’s zero in the eighth, the right-hander extended his career-opening scoreless streak to 17 1/3 frames spanning nine appearances.
Right-hander 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=L6Zq5t41NJLSs1XvZfmCTTAfRYyE1-Fqaz2EyX6S0lvC56kKUrod_gUgysvb0ti1&s=64emhIh_8GPWsXns18j9EVp0D8wtr09pEgPoarkPL_Q&e= > relived Nesbitt in the ninth and turned in a scoreless outing, retiring the side in just eight pitches.
Slater (2-1) was saddled with his first loss of the year, pitching 3 1/3 innings with four earned runs allowed on four hits. He struck out one.
Tigers reliever Grant Taylor (2-0) earned the win after firing 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball. He scattered four hits and two walks while striking out six.
LSU starter Samuel Dutton received the no-decision, tossing 3 2/3 shutout frames on one hit and three walks while striking out one.
NOTABLES
* Game three featured first-career starts for both starting pitchers, Slater and Dutton.
* By pitching a scoreless eighth inning, Nesbitt has not allowed a run across his first 17 1/3 career innings (5 2/3 this season) spanning nine appearances.
* Florida is now 52-66-1 all-time vs. LSU including a 27-20 mark at home.
* Florida is 23-19 vs. the Tigers 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=L6Zq5t41NJLSs1XvZfmCTTAfRYyE1-Fqaz2EyX6S0lvC56kKUrod_gUgysvb0ti1&s=V6xHeYxxrQSjdutA6GJC9BndFcAIsDEg1tifKb5Wd7s&e= >.
* The Gators have won 13 of the last 23 meetings including 8 of the last 14.
* Florida is 38-9 across the program’s last 47 regular season games at Florida Ballpark.
* The Gators are 23-6 in their last 29 regular season home games.
* The Gators have won 16 of their last 21 games overall.
FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O’SULLIVAN
On the series…
“I mean, 48 hours ago we are sitting in here, won the first game and won the series at Alabama, won a [game] against Bethune. Everybody is feeling good about themselves. The unraveling started yesterday. We had gave up some big innings. Obviously yesterday got away from us. Today, all the hitters came in here early on their own and got their work in this morning before the pregame meal. But once again, we shot ourselves in the foot. We hit a right-handed batter to start the fourth and two-run homer. We had Jobert 0-2. Just make pitches, simple as that. Obviously extremely disappointed, to be honest with you.”
On the team’s energy…
“We fell behind four runs and probably a here we go again. We talked about it before the game. LSU feels really good about themselves after the game yesterday. We can tell they had an extra pep in their step when they were stretching. We talked about it and said this was not going to be easy today, so it’s not like we went into the game thinking we were going to be overly confident that we were going to win. We knew this was not going to be easy. When you hit seven or eight batters, at least half of them are fastballs on the wrong side of the plate and off-speed pitches. That’s not good, especially with that lineup. It is what it is, disappointing. It’s not a point where you are going to panic, but at the same time, this is new for us, too. We haven’t been through something like this in back-to-back games. I think the most disappointing thing, whether you lose 11-2 or 3-2, they all hurt, but I honestly think LSU just imposed their will on us. We did not respond at all. Disappointing, but we’ll get better. We’re going to have to get better because it is not going to get much easier moving forward.”
On the young pitchers…
“We have who we have. They’re talented. They’re freshmen. It’s not like Major League Baseball where you can make trades or you can move guys up and down. We have to get these guys better. It’s just that simple. They’re at a point now where it’s not really their freshman year anymore. They’ve had some experience. I can go on and on with the list of pitchers that were freshmen that have been successful here dating back to, really, our first recruiting class. Our second recruiting class was Brian Johnson, Hudson Randall. Logan Shore, Alex Faedo. I mean the list goes on and on. Brady Singer. All those guys. Jackson Kowar. A.J. Puk pitched early in his career. It’s not like we haven’t done it before. Using the excuse of freshmen, I’m not going to sit in front of you guys and make excuses. There’s no excuses. They’re talented, they’re just not making pitches.”
UP NEXT
Florida travels to Jacksonville, Fla. to take on No. 7 Florida State on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The midweek matchup will air on SEC Network.
