Florida baseball loses to Troy in Gainesville Regional, final score, recap

Just three outs separate the Gators from the offseason. Bowen walks up to the plate to face Thigpen, who is now in his fourth inning of work having thrown 43 pitches, and the Gator grounds a 96 mph fastball back to the pitcher, who fields it at the front of the mound and tosses it to first for the out. That brings up Stripling, who drives the ball all the way to the right field wall, but the fielder is there to make the catch, and Florida is down to its last out.

The 2026 season ends with Kurland grounding out to the shortstop, sending Troy to its first-ever super regional appearance. Hats off to them, the Trojans definitely earned it.

Whritenour comes back for his third and very likely final inning of work to face Cavill, who works the count full before getting plunked on his right calf by a 96 mph fastball to give Troy a leadoff runner in the ninth. Janicki follows him by striking out looking at a 97 mph fastball with armside action that tails back to nip the high outside corner of the zone for the first out.

With Meier at the plate, Cavill takes second — again, with no throw from the catcher — on a delayed steal; Meier flies out harmlessly to center field for out No. 2. That brings up Nelson, who hits a low liner to the shortstop, who makes the grab to end the inning.

(M9: Troy 10, Florida 2)

Cyr opens up the bottom of the eighth by flying out to center field on the first pitch he sees from Thigpen. Surowiec fouls a low changeup that gets the catcher in a bad spot, causing a short stop in play; he then lines the ball to right, where the fielder is there to make the second out. McDonald then works back from an 0-2 count to make it full, only to swing at a 96 mph fastball outside of the zone for the third out.

(E8: Troy 10, Florida 2)

Whritenour stays in the game to face Meier, who works the count full before drawing a leadoff walk watching a 97 mph fastball inside that just misses the plate. Next up is Nelson, who works a full count — Meier steals second without a throw on ball three before swinging at a 97 mph fastball low and inside for the first out.

That brings up Darnell, who draws a four-pitch walk; perhaps the silver lining here is that the double play is back in order. There is a meeting at the mound among the infielders as Boroff walks up to the plate with a pitcher warming up in the pen. He sends the second pitch he sees over the left field fence on a rope for a three-run shot to give Troy an eight-run lead.

Markham flies out to right field for the second out and Piasecki sends a fly ball out to center on the very next pitch that should have ended the inning, but the center fielder loses the ball in the twilight sky, giving Troy a double. A wild pitch on the very next offering to Pyne allows the runner to advance to third; he grounds a chopper to the shortstop for out No. 3.

(M8: Troy 10, Florida 2)

The last time Troy lost a game with a six-run lead was against Florida back in 2020. Is there a comeback in the cards for the Gators here?

Bowen leads off the inning against Thigpen by hitting a hard grounder down the third base line that is fielded nicely, but the throw to first is high, drawing the baseman off the bag; however, Bowen isn’t very fleet of foot, and the fielder lands on the bag before the runner can reach.

Stripling tries to get something going by grounding a first-pitch changeup up the middle, giving the Gators a baserunner for Kurland, who also singles up the middle to send Stripling to third. With runners on the corners and one out, Yost comes up to the plate and strikes out swinging at a 96 mph fastball at the bottom of the zone and now there are two outs.

The batting order resets with Jones up at the plate and pokes a grounder the opposite way through the right side of the infield to bring home Florida’s second run of the game.

That brings up Lawson with runners at first and second, but two outs. Troy’s catcher comes out to the mound for a quick chat before Lawson works the count full; Thigpen gets him to pop up to the shortstop in between the mound and the first base line to end the threat.

(E7: Troy 7, Florida 2)

Left-hander Joshua Whritenour enters the game in relief to face Pyne, who leads off the eighth by grounding out to third. Cavill follows him by going down swinging for out No. 2. The Gators should have gotten out of the inning when Janicki popped up to the left of the plate, only for the third baseman and catcher to collide, allowing the ball to fall for a foul for an error; the batter eventually works the count full before lining the ball to deep left for out No. 3.

(M7: Troy 7, Florida 1)

Right-hander Noah Thigpen is now on the mound for Troy and he gets Cyr to line out to third on his first pitch for the first out of the seventh. Surowiec’s check swing at a low 85 mph changeup that goes too far makes it two outs before McDonald swings at a high 95 mph fastball for out No. 3.

(E6: Troy 7, Florida 1)

O’Sullivan now turns to left-hander Ernesto Lugo-Canchola to try and get the Gators out of trouble with the bases loaded and one out with Nelson coming up to the plate. Nelson singles to left on the second pitch, bringing home a pair of runners; Meier moves over to third on a horrible throw home that pulls the catcher way up the first base line.

A squeeze bunt by Darnell down the first base line is fielded by the first baseman, but there is nobody at first to receive the throw, bringing in run No. 5 for the Trojans. Boroff then lines a double down the left field line to plate two more, and things are looking grim for the Orange and Blue here.

Markham moves the runner over with a swinging bunt that dies in front of the plate and is thrown to first by the catcher for the second out. Piasecki goes down swinging at an 86 mph slider in the dirt for out No. 3, but that damage has been done.

(M6: Troy 7, Florida 1)

Right-hander Russell Sandefer takes over on the mound for Florida with the bases clear and one out to face Cavill, who works a full count before watching a 93 mph fastball way outside for a walk. Janicki draws a five-pitch walk and now there’s trouble on the basepaths with just one out; Florida’s bullpen now has two pitchers warming up.

Sandefer is struggling to find the zone, issuing another five-pitch walk, this time to Meier, to load the bases. And that’s it for him — Sully trots out to the mound to bring in someone new.

(T6: Troy 2, Florida 1)

McDonald is still in the game with his pitch count at 45 to face Pyne, who grounds a 90 mph fastball on the outside of the plate to the shortstop for the first out. And that’s it for McDonald, as Sully comes out to change pitchers.

(T6: Troy 2, Florida 1)

Now on the bump for Troy is left-hander Benjamin Stubbs, who comes in to face Yost with a runner on second and no outs. Yost hits a low liner into left that is caught by a diving fielder for the first out, while also keeping the runner at second. Jones follows him with a soft liner to center that falls for a hit, driving in Florida’s first run, but he is thrown out trying to take second on the throw home.

So now there are two outs and nobody on for Lawson, who works the count full before flying out to left on an 85 mph slider low and away, and that is it for the fifth frame.

(E5: Troy 2, Florida 1)

Smith comes back out to the mound for his fifth inning of work with his pitch count at 66 to face Kurland, who rips a double into the left field corner, giving the Gators a runner in scoring position with no outs. And that’s the end of the day for Smith, as Troy’s coach comes out for a pitching change.

(B5: Troy 2, Florida 0)

Sully is sticking with McDonald to start the fifth inning to face Boroff, who hits a grounder on the first pitch through the left side for a leadoff hit. He rebounds by getting Markham to swing at an 80 mph curveball low and over the plate for out No. 2 before Piasecki grounds into a 6-3 double play on a low 81 mph curveball.

(M5: Troy 2, Florida 0)

Surowiec opens up the bottom of the fourth by working the count full before hitting a low liner to center on a 90 mph fastball down the heart of the plate for a lead-off single. With a 1-0 count to McDonald, Troy’s catcher comes out to the mound to chat with his pitcher; Smith induces a 5-4-3 double play on the next pitch to erase Florida’s baserunner.

With the bases empty and two outs, Bowen works back from an 0-2 count to run the count full before drawing a six-pitch walk. The Gators get another baserunner for Stripling, who flies out to the left field warning track for out No. 3.

(E4: Troy 2, Florida 0)

McDonald comes back out for a third inning of work to face Janicki, who hits an opposite field flare into right for a single. Meier goes down swinging at an 81 mph curveball low and away for the first out before Nelson hits a slow chopper back to the pitcher that gets thrown to second to get the leadoff runner, but the throw to first is way too late to get the runner.

With two outs and two on — and Russell Sandefer ready and waiting in the bullpen — Nelson steals second without a throw on a low 93 mph fastball to Darnell; he ultimately grounds out to the shortstop to end the top of the fourth.

(M4: Troy 2, Florida 0)

Jones leads off the bottom of the third by working the count full before watching a 90 mph fastball go over in the inner portion of the plate for the first out. Lawson follows him with a three-pitch strikeout, swinging at a 92 mph fastball off the plate outside. Cyr hits a popup to the first baseman on the second pitch he sees to end the frame.

(E3: Troy 2, Florida 0)

McDonald returns to the hill to start the third inning and gets Piasecki to ground out to the second baseman on a breaking ball low and outside. Pyne follows him by working back from a 0-2 count to 2-2, only to pop up to the first baseman on a 96 mph fastball for out No. 2. Cavill also starts off 0-2 before working the count full, but goes down looking at an 81 mph breaking ball to end the frame.

(M3: Troy 2, Florida 0)

McDonald, fresh off his relief effort in the top of the frame, steps up to the plate to lead off the bottom of the second. He sends a 90 mph fastball deep into center field, but it is caught in front of the warning track for the first out. Karson Bowen follows him with a grounder up the middle for the first hit of the game for the Gators.

With one on and one out, Landon Stripling flies out to shallow left field for out No. 2, but Cade Kurland keeps the inning alive by drawing a four-pitch walk. That brings up the No. 9 hitter, Hayden Yost, who goes down 0-2 before grounding the ball to the second baseman, who tags the base for the force out to end the inning.

(E2: Troy 2, Florida 0)

Now on the mound for the Gators is right-hander Caden McDonald, the team’s two-way star, to try and get things under control in the top of the second. He’s off to a good start, inducing a first-pitch ground ball off the bat of Jabe Boroff that is fielded by the shortstop for a 6-4-3 double play.

Houston Markham hits a fly ball to deep center that is caught for out No. 3. Good work, Mac.

(M2: Troy 2, Florida 0)

Walls opens up the second inning, having already thrown 25 pitches, and proceeds to walk Sean Darnell on four pitches. And that’s it for him — Kevin O’Sullivan is coming out to make the pitching change.

(T2: Troy 2, Florida 0)

Left-hander Hayden Smith’s first offering of the game is a 91 mph fastball to Kyle Jones that draws a check swing, but the batter does not go around. Two pitches later, Jones sends a routine fly ball to left field for the first out. Next up is Brendan Lawson, who is hit by a 91 mph fastball on his back, sending him to first for Florida’s first baserunner of the game.

Blake Cyr comes up to the plate with one on and one out, and with a 3-1 count, he sends ball four deep into the right-center gap in front of the warning track, where it is caught for out No. 2. Ethan Surowiec follows him by chopping a looping curveball outside of the zone to the third baseman, who charges in and throws him out at first.

(E1: Troy 2, Florida 0)

Right-hander Cooper Walls opens up the game with a 95 mph fastball to Aaron Piasecki that tails away far from the strike zone, and we are underway! Piasecki earns a five-pitch walk and Troy has a lead-off baserunner as Walls continues to look wild. Josh Pyne watches three balls go by before a strike is finally thrown; he singles through the left side on the next pitch, and the Florida bullpen is already active.

Blake Cavill grounds the first pitch he sees to the first baseman, who trots over to the bag for the first out, but the runners advance to second and third with one out. Jimmy Janicki then lines a pitch to right inside the foul line for an opposite-field double, plating the Trojans’ first two runs of the game.

Walls gets Steven Meier looking at an 82 mph changeup that gets the inner portion of the plate for the second out and follows that by getting Drew Nelson to watch an 81 mph changeup in the same spot to end the rally.

(M1: Troy 2, Florida 0)