{"id":200833,"date":"2026-03-21T23:12:08","date_gmt":"2026-03-21T23:12:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/200833\/"},"modified":"2026-03-21T23:12:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-21T23:12:08","slug":"no-18-florida-topped-by-alabama-in-game-two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/200833\/","title":{"rendered":"No. 18 Florida Topped by Alabama in Game Two"},"content":{"rendered":"

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. \u2013\u00a0No. 18 Florida and Alabama traded leads in the early innings before the Gators were outlasted by an 8-4 tally in game two at Sewell-Thomas Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
\n\u00a0

\nAs a result of Saturday’s loss to the Crimson Tide (17-7, 2-3 SEC), the Gators (19-5, 3-2 SEC) had their league-best, seven-series win streak in SEC play come to an end. The Orange & Blue will look to salvage the finale and remain above .500 in league play in game three tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. ET.
\n\u00a0
\nFlorida starting pitcher Aidan King’s<\/a> status as the only remaining, qualified Division I pitcher with a 0.00 ERA ended at 23 2\/3 innings in the top of the first. Alabama opened a 1-0 lead through one frame, as Justin Lebron walked, advanced to third on a single by Brady Neal and scored on an RBI bunt back to King off the bat of Jason Torres.
\n\u00a0

\nThe Orange & Blue promptly answered the following half inning, as leadoff man Karson Bowen<\/a> powered a 1-1 pitch over the left-field wall for a game-tying solo shot. King held the momentum, retiring the side in order in the home half by striking out his second batter for the third out.
\n\u00a0
\nThe UF offense followed suit, taking its first lead of the weekend at 2-1 in the top of the third. Cade Kurland<\/a> led off with a single to right-center, followed by a five-pitch walk to Kyle Jones<\/a>. Blake Cyr<\/a> cashed in, singling to right on the first pitch of his at bat to plate Kurland for a one-run edge.
\n\u00a0
\nAlabama answered right back in the bottom of the third. With one out, Neal singled home Brennan Holt and Torres drove in Bryce Fowler on his second RBI bunt of the game as the Crimson Tide regained the lead at 3-2.
\n\u00a0
\nAfter stranding a two-out single from Ethan Surowiec<\/a> in the fourth, Florida got another clean frame from King in the home half. The Crimson Tide later extended its lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth, thanks to a two-out, RBI single to right from Neal.
\n\u00a0
\nKolt Myers<\/a> doubled to center field to begin the sixth inning for the Gators, but was left stranded in scoring position. Sophomore Jackson Barberi<\/a> replaced King on the bump in the home half of the sixth and worked around a two-out walk to keep Florida within two runs.
\n\u00a0
\nIn the bottom of the seventh, Alabama pushed ahead at 6-2 on a two-run homer to left by Lebron. Right-hander Billy Barlow<\/a> entered with two outs and stranded a pair by striking out Will Plattner.
\n\u00a0
\nIn the eighth, Alabama tacked one two more runs on an RBI double down the right-field line by Holt and a run-scoring groundout off the bat of Neal to make it 8-2.
\n\u00a0
\nFlorida attempted to mount a late rally in the ninth, but the gap was too large for the Gators. Jones drove in Surowiec with a sacrifice fly to left field with one out, followed by an RBI double to left from Cyr to cut the deficit to 8-4. The comeback fizzled there as game two ended with two runners in scoring position and a final score of 8-4.
\n\u00a0
\nCrimson Tide starting pitcher Zane Adams improved to 4-1. The junior southpaw pitched six frames of two-run ball on five hits, one walk and six strikeouts.
\n\u00a0
\nKing dropped to 3-2 on the season. The sophomore hurler allowed his first four earned runs of the season on three hits and four walks in five innings while fanning four batters.
\n\u00a0
\nCyr (2-for-4) and Surowiec (2-for-4) produced multi-hit efforts highlighted by a team-high two RBI from the former.<\/p>\n

NOTABLES
\n \n<\/p>\n


\n\tThe Gators are now 17-6 in their last 23 SEC games dating back to last season.
\n\tFlorida had its league-best, seven-SEC-series win streak snapped.
\n\t
\n\t\tFlorida’s last SEC series loss was against No. 23 Vanderbilt from April 4-6, 2025.
\n\t
\n\t
\n\tKing opened the campaign with 23 2\/3-consecutive innings without allowing an earned run across six starts before surrendering one in the top of the first inning vs. Alabama.
\n\t
\n\t\tKing was the only remaining, qualified NCAA Division I pitcher with a 0.00 ERA.
\n\t
\n\t
\n\tAcross his last 11 starts dating back to 2025, King is 7-3 with a 0.94 ERA and 59-to-17 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 67.0 innings pitched (seven earned runs allowed).
\n\tBowen provided Florida’s first hit of the series with a solo home run to lead off the second inning. It marked Bowen’s second home run of the season.
\n\tThe Gators have won 36 of their last 46 regular-season games dating back to 2025.
\n\tFlorida is now 72-62 all-time and 25-33 on the road against Alabama.
\n\tThe Gators are 31-10 overall and 11-6 in Tuscaloosa in the series under Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan<\/a>.
\n\tFlorida has won 18 of the last 23 meetings with Alabama and 25 of the last 31.
\n\tSaturday’s official attendance was 3,875. <\/p>\n

\u00a0
\nFROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O’SULLIVAN
\nOn King’s start on the mound\u2026
\n“He didn’t have his usual command. I think he started the season with 23 1\/3 (unearned runs). Uncharacteristically, he walked four over five, and all four of them scored. It was just one of those days that he doesn’t have very often, but today was one of those days, unfortunately.”
\n\u00a0
\nOn getting Kurland back in the lineup this weekend\u2026
\n“It’s been a while since we’ve had him back in the lineup. It’s good to see him back. And obviously, he’s not going to stay in the eight-hole very long. We’re just trying to get him comfortable and he’ll be back at the top of the order, middle of the order, whenever he’s ready to get moved up.”<\/p>\n

ON DECK

\nThe Gators and Crimson Tide face off in the series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on SEC Network.

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