Florida baseball vs Texas A&M Aggies final score, recap, highlights

Freshcorn remains in the game to close things out and starts by surrendering a double on a line drive in the left-center gap off of Stripling’s bat to start a potential ninth-inning rally for the Gators. Jacob Kendall comes in to pinch-hit for Wilson, and smacks a single that eludes both the first baseman and second baseman — the latter of whom was shifted over and still couldn’t get to it — plating Florida’s fourth run.

Jones comes up to the plate having gone 0-for-4 so far, and makes it 0-for-5 on a line drive into the glove of the leaping third baseman. So close, but nonetheless, the first out of the inning. Lawson then hits a potential double-play ball to the second baseman, but the shortstop is unable to make the throw for the final out.

That brings up Surowiec, who watches a third-strike fastball nip the low-outside corner of the plate to end the game.

Lefty Eli Blair takes over in the top of the ninth, looking to keep the Aggies off the scoreboard, and gets Duer to fly out to right on his first offering. The 6-foot-8-inch freshman hurler follows that up by getting Partida to ground out to third. Five pitches, two outs.

Kiel II hits a chopper up the middle that escapes the outstretched glove of the shortstop for a single, bringing up Wilson. The Aggies’ right fielder lines an opposite-field single to left to put two on with two outs.

A double steal that goes uncontested moves the runners up to second and third during Harrison’s at-bat, which seems to have rattled Blair a bit. However, a perfectly placed breaking ball gets the batter to whiff and the threat is over. (M9: Texas A&M 8, Florida 3)

Freshcorn stays in the game for TAMU and gets Cyr out looking at a fastball that paints the outside corner of the plate. Bowen hits a hard grounder to shortstop that’s fielded on a tough short hop and thrown to first for the second out of the inning.

Kurland knocks a two-out single into right on a low line drive, bringing up McDonald. The designated hitter goes down with a swinging sword and that’s it for the Gators in the eighth. (E8: Texas A&M 8, Florida 3)

O’Sullivan brings in righty Ricky Reeth into the game with a clean slate and he gets Harrison to pop up a 92 mph fastball right back to him near the foul line about a third of the way up from home plate for out No. 1. He then walks Kellner after running up a full count and that is followed by a grounder by Grahovac through the right side against a shifted infield to put runners at first and second with one out.

Sorrell hits a grounder to the second baseman up the middle that looks like it was tailor-made for a double play, but alas, the runner at first beats the throw. Two outs and Aggies at the corners for Hacopian, who works the count full before flying out to short center field — caught by the right fielder — and the threat is over. (M8: Texas A&M 8, Florida 3)

Lefty Ernesto Lugo-Canchola enters the game in relief with a runner on first and no outs. Ernie starts things off by hanging an 82 mph breaking ball over the plate for a towering home run by Wilson over the right field wall to give TAMU a five-run lead.

Sully is not happy as he walks out to the mound to replace Lugo-Canchola. (T8: Texas A&M 8, Florida 3)

McNeillie returns to the mound for a third inning of work and Wilson takes over in right field after pinch-hitting. Kiel II draws a full-count walk and that is it for Luke. The force was not with him in the eighth and a new pitcher comes in. (T8: Texas A&M 6, Florida 3)

Righty Clayton Freshcorn relieves Darden with two outs and runners at first and second. Surowiec grounds the first pitch he sees up the middle, but the second baseman is positioned perfectly for the play, tossing the ball to the shortstop for the force-out to end the threat. (E7: Texas A&M 6, Florida 3)

Lefty Ethan Darden is now in the game for TAMU, and he sends Landon Stripling — who is pinch-hitting for Schwarz — down swinging on a full count for out No. 1. Ashton Wilson comes into pinch-hit for Yost, and he goes down on a grounder up the middle that is fielded by the second baseman.

With two outs, the batting order resets with Jones up at the plate, and he reaches first on a routine grounder to short that the fielder throws offline for an error. Lawson keeps the inning alive with a hard-hit single through the right side, prompting another pitching change by the Aggies. (B7: Texas A&M 6, Florida 3)

McNeillie remains in the game to pitch the seventh and starts the inning by getting Hacopian to ground out to short after nine pitches. Duer pops out to the shortstop near third base for out No. 2 and Partida lines out to left on the first pitch he sees for a clean inning. (M7: Texas A&M 6, Florida 3)

Right-hander Gavin Lyons comes into the game for the Aggies to face Lawson to start the bottom of the sixth, who lines the ball into the glove of a leaping second baseman for the first out. Nice play by the TAMU fielder there.

Surowiec then sees four straight balls and takes first base weith one out. A fifth-straight ball is thrown to Cyr, which brings the catcher out to the mound to calm Lyons down. Cyr follows that with a liner into the left-center gap for a single that gets the runner over to third.

With Gators on the corners and one out, Bowen lines out to left but it is deep enough to bring the runner home on the sac fly, and the Gators narrow the Aggies’ lead back to three.

Kurland takes a pitch to the shoulder to put a pair on with two outs, setting the table for McDonald. That brings the catcher out to the mound again to talk about how to handle one of Florida’s hottest bats — and it works as he goes down swinging at a 90 mph fastball with some nasty armside run. (E6: Texas A&M 6, Florida 3)

Lefty Luke McNeillie comes into the game to relieve Peterson with his team down by three in the sixth. Partida laces a hanging cutter into centerfield and Kiel II reaches on a fielder’s choice by the shortstop to the second baseman.

Then Wilson singles through the left side on a soft grounder; the shortstop was running at the bag to cover second on the hit-and-run, but the ball trickles through and a runner crosses the plate. Aggies restore their four-run lead with one out.

Harrison flies out to left field for out No. 2, but TAMU keeps hitting, with Kellner pushing a grounder just past the shortstop into left field to put runners on first and second with two down. Another groundball to shortstop gets fielded this time, but Lawson is unable to make the throw on time to second to record the fielder’s choice.

Now with the bases loaded, the infield comes to the mound for a quick chat. McNeillie took their words to heart, sending Sorrell down swinging on a low 88 mph cutter to end the threat. (M6: Texas A&M 6, Florida 2)

McDonald continues his recent tear by sending the first pitch he sees over the fence in left center, and it appears the Gators still have some life in them with the game halfway done. The ball left his bat at a scorching 107 mph.

Schwarz follows that up with a soft liner just over the second baseman’s glove for a base hit. Yost pops up to the first baseman halfway to the plate for the first out, and while Jones is at the plate, Schwarz takes off on a ball in the dirt but gets thrown out easily.

With two outs, Jones flies out to right field, and the fifth inning is over. (E5: Texas A&M 5, Florida 2)

Peterson is already at 70 pitches to start the fifth as his efficiency woes continue. He throws three straight balls to Kellner before working the count full with a pair of fastballs; pitch No. 6 is a high 95 mph heater that is lined the opposite way into right for a single, putting the leadoff hitter on.

Grahovac puts two more on the board for TAMU with a towering home run off the top of the center field batter’s eye, and now the Gators are down by four.

A hard grounder to first by Sorrell is fielded by Surowiec, who finds Peterson running to the bag in time to make the first out of the fifth. Hacopian sends an 80 mph breaking ball right at the center fielder for out No. 2 and Duer grounds out to second to end the inning.

With 90 pitches thrown already, one has to wonder if Sully will turn to his bullpen soon. (M5: Texas A&M 5, Florida 1)

Lawson leads off the bottom of the fourth by swinging through a 94 mph fastball on the outer portion of the plate for the first out. Surowiec follows that by turning an 0-2 count into a full one before hitting an opposite-field liner to the right fielder for out No. 2.

Cyr gets plunked for a hit-by-pitch — his third in two days — to give the Gators their first baserunner of the game with two down. Bowen hits a grounder up the middle that the shortstop dives for, but cannot make the play, and the infield hit gives Florida two on and two outs with one runner in scoring position.

Kurland grounds into a fielder’s choice to the shortstop, who throws to second for out No. 3. Gators threaten but cannot score. (E4: Texas A&M 3, Florida 1)

Peterson opens up the fourth with 53 pitches already thrown and proceeds to serve up another home run — this time a deep drive over the right-center field by Partida to give the Aggies a two-run cushion.

Kiel II flies out to left-center, followed by a swinging strikeout by Wilson for the first and second outs of the frame. Harrison works a full count before grounding out to shortstop on a great play by Lawson, with a tip of the cap to Surowiec at first for digging the ball out of the dirt. (M4: Texas A&M 3, Florida 1)

Sims throws three straight balls to Colton Schwarz before bouncing back for a full count, then gets him to line out to second for out No. 1. Hayden Yost follows up with a high pop-up behind first that is caught by the second baseman, and Jones flies out to center field on the first pitch he sees to end the inning. (E3: Texas A&M 2, Florida 1)

Peterson surrenders a solo home run to Bear Harrison — a towering shot to center field that knots the game up at one apiece.

Boston Kellner follows that with a pop-up to the shortstop, but Grahovac watches ball four to take first base with one out. Sorrell goes down for out No. 2, but a deep drive off the right-center field wall off the bat of Hacopian for a double that plates TAMU’s second run of the game.

Sully comes out to the mound to talk with Peterson and the infield, before Duer strikes out swinging to end the threat. But the damage is done and the Gators are down by one. (M3: Texas A&M 2, Florida 1)

Blake Cyr opens up the bottom of the second with a no-doubt dinger over the left field wall on the first pitch he sees to give the Gators the early lead.

Karson Bowen goes down looking at a 93 mph fastball at the knees for out No. 1; Cade Kurland also strikes out looking at a 95 mph heater that nips the outside for out No. 2.

Caden McDonald, getting his second-straight start at designated hitter, swings at strike three to end the frame. Through two, Sims already has six Ks. Ouch. (E2: Texas A&M 0, Florida 1)

Nico Partida opens up the second frame with a groundout to shortstop that gets challenged, but the call is upheld as the ball arrives a hair before the runner’s foot hits the bag. Terrence Kiel II pops up to the right fielder not far from the infield dirt for out No. 2 Jorian Wilson, who goes down swinging to give Peterson a 1-2-3 inning.

The pitcher efficiency watch sees the pitch count at 31 through two. (M2: Texas A&M 0, Florida 0)

Aiden Sims gets Kyle Jones to strike out swinging to open the bottom of the first and Brendan Lawson follows him back to the bench after watching strike three go by. Ethan Surowiec also goes down swinging, and 15 pitches later, the inning is over. (E1: Texas A&M 0, Florida 0)

Gavin Grahovac starts things off with a single to right field off Liam Peterson, followed by a swinging strikeout by Caden Sorrell. Grahovac is caught stealing second for out No. 2, but Chris Hacopian keeps the inning alive with a single up the middle.

Jake Duer grounds out to second base and the top of the first is over. (M1: Texas A&M 0, Florida 0)