Florida launched a leadoff home run on the first pitch it saw against Jacksonville. It was mostly downhill from there, and the Gators dropped their third midweek contest in the last month, this time by a 7-5 score.
There’s really only one direction to go after opening up that hot. And the Gators couldn’t sustain the early momentum provided by the Kyle Jones blast to left field in the bottom of the first inning.
Florida plated three runs in the first inning, which started with that solo shot to left. Aided by an error, the Gators got a runner aboard and then brought him home with back-to-back singles to score a second run. A fielder’s choice on a play shortly after allowed another run to score, making it 3-0 Florida at the end of the first frame.
Things quieted down in the second inning for both sides before heating up again in the third. Jacksonville knotted things up with a three-run frame in the third.
A leadoff single started the rally, but it was quickly followed by a strikeout for the first out. A second single put runners at the corners, allowing a sacrifice fly from second baseman Roger Vergara to score the first run of the night for the Dolphins.
A wild pitch from Florida moved a runner over, then a double from designated hitter Derek Bermudez scored a run, cutting the deficit to 3-2. An RBI single brought Bermudez home to tie the game at 3-3.
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From there, pitching took control for Jacksonville. The Dolphins, after giving up the three-run first inning, went six clean frames before finally allowing further damage.
The Dolphins scored two runs in the seventh inning and two runs in the eighth, taking a 7-3 lead. The Gators did their best to answer but ultimately came up short.
Blake Cyr launched a solo shot to left in the eighth to score a run for the Gators, then Florida pushed another across on an RBI lineout by Colon Schwarz after Karson Bowen had doubled. That cut the Jacksonville lead to 7-5.
Florida couldn’t muster anything in the final frame, falling 7-5. Jacksonville pitcher Ben Baker-Livingston was the star, settling in after the rough start to go six innings while allowing the three runs on six hits. He struck out three and faced 27 batters.