The Florida Gators look to snap their current three-game losing streak against the Texas A&M Aggies at Condron Family Ballpark in the weekend series opener on Friday night. Follow along right here for live updates and highlights from the SEC baseball action.
The Gators come in with a 28-14 overall record (10-8 SEC), ranked 22nd in the Coaches Poll and 21st in the D1Baseball rankings, while slipping to No. 11 in the RPI. The Aggies bring a robust 31-7 total tally (12-5 SEC) into play, ranked seventh in both of the aforementioned rankings and ninth in the RPI.
So far, it has been a back-and-forth affair, with the Gators getting on the board first in the bottom of the opening inning with a run. The Aggies took the lead on a two-run home run in the third, but Florida struck back with two in the bottom of that frame.
So far, Florida’s Aidan King has looked good in the start, while TAMU’s Shane Sdao was knocked out of the game in the fourth after getting in some trouble.
Aggies go three-up, three-down in the fifth
Kellner opens things up with a line drive out to center field off the first pitch he sees, followed by a flyout to center by Grahovac after forcing a full count. Sorrell watches a few close pitches from King before flying out to right field for a 1-2-3 inning. (M5: Texas A&M 2, Florida 3)
Gators fail to capitalize, leave two on in the fourth
Grant Cunningham is now in the game and gets Surowiec to fly out in deep right field. The threat is over with no damage done. (E4: Texas A&M 2, Florida 3)
Florida puts runners at corners with two outs
McDonald crushes a 75 mph curveball into the left-center gap for yet another double for the Orange and Blue, setting the table for another crooked number this inning. Wilson goes down swinging on three straight pitches for the first out, but Jones is able to put runners on the corners with a fly ball to center that falls in front of the fielder for a single.
That brings the catcher to the mound as the TAMU bullpen starts to get busy — right-hander Grant Cunningham is up and throwing.
Lawson pops out in foul territory behind third base on the first pitch he sees for the second out; not the plate discipline Sully wants to see in that situation. And now it is time to change pitchers. (B4: Texas A&M 2, Florida 3)
Error extends inning but King continues to cruise
Partida begins the fourth by flying out to straightaway center on King’s second offering of the inning; Kiel II flies out to right on the second pitch he sees. That’s a quick two outs for King, who is up to 48 pitches in 3 2/3 frames of work so far.
Wilson forces the Gators’ righty to throw five pitches before bouncing a grounder to the shortstop, whose errant throw to first gives TAMU life with two outs, robbing King of another efficient inning. Harrison pops out to second to close out the top of the inning. (M4: Texas A&M 2, Florida 3)
Florida takes the lead back in the third inning
Lawson begins the bottom of the third by forcing a full count after starting 0-2 before sending a line drive into the right-center gap for a double. No outs and a runner already in scoring position for Surowiec, who skies a shallow fly ball into short right field for out No. 1.
Cyr follows that by crushing a high fastball off the left-center wall to tie the score at 2-2, while taking second to keep a Gator in scoring position.
Bowen gives the ball a ride out to left field, but it lands in the left fielder’s glove for out No. 2. A wild pitch allows Cyr to take third base and he comes home on a deep drive into the left-center gap off Kurland’s bat on a 3-2 pitch to give the Gators the lead back.
Schwarz pops up in foul territory behind first base for out No. 3 but Florida regains the upperhand after three frames. (E3: Texas A&M 2, Florida 3)
Aggies take the lead on a 2-run home run
King’s first pitch of the third is scortched to the left side just beyond the shortstop’s glove for a leadoff hit by Bear Harrison. Boston Kellner becomes strikeout No. 4 on the day so far, swinging at a slider moving away from the zone. One out and the order returns to the top.
Grahovac then crushes a no-doubter over the left field wall on a slider over the plate and the Aggies take a 2-1 lead. That’s now a 14-game hitting streak for TAMU’s first baseman.
Sorrell flies out to left-center field, but Hacopian puts the ball into center field off the end of his bat for a two-out single. Duer grounds out to second and a tough third inning for King is over. (M3: Texas A&M 2, Florida 1)
Gators strand hit in the second inning
Colton Schwarz opens up the bottom of the second with an infield single that took the shortstop too deep into the outfield to make the throw in time. Caden McDonald forces a full count before swinging at an 81 mph slider for the first out.
The ninth hitter, Ashton Wilson, waves at a fastball outside the zone for out No. 2; Jones forces a full count before lining out to left to end the inning. (E2: Texas A&M 0, Florida 1)
TAMU gets first hit, nothing more
King’s first pitch is put in play for a groundout to the shortstop off the bat of Jake Duer. Then Florida’s righty strikes out Nico Partida with a 93-mph fastball on the inner half of the plate that had some nice armside run for out No. 2.
Terrence Kiel II gets the Aggies’ first hit of the night with a grounder through the left side, but Bear Harrison watches a called third strike slider on the low inside corner to end the frame. (M2: Texas A&M 0, Florida 1)
Gators strike first with two-out rally
Kyle Jones leads things off with a routine grounder to shortstop off of an 83-mph slider from Shane Sdao for the first out of the inning. Brendan Lawson strikes out with a check swing on a 95 mph fastball above the zone for out No. 2.
Ethan Surowiec keeps the inning alive with a ground ball base hit through the left side, just a few feet left of where Jones hit his grounder. Blake Cyr gets plunked and now the Gators have a runner in scoring position with two outs for Karson Bowen.
Bowen brings Surowiec home with an opposite-field liner to right, moving Cyr to third.
Runners on the corners with two outs, and Cade Kurland flies out to center on the first pitch he sees. But the Gators get on the board in the bottom of the first. (E1: Texas A&M 0, Florida 1)
Aggies go down 1-2-3 in the top of the first inning
First pitch of the game is a 95 mph fastball from Aidan King on the outer portion of the plate to Gavin Grahovac and we are underway! The first batter goes down on a fly ball to left field; Caden Sorrell sends the first pitch he sees to the same spot for out No. 2.
A 91 mph fastball on the bottom corner of the zone gets Chris Hacopian and King gets a 10-pitch, 1-2-3 inning to open things up. (M1: Texas A&M 0, Florida 0)
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Florida vs. Texas A&M starting pitchers, lineups
NOTES: Aidan King delivered his third straight quality start for Florida last weekend in a Thursday night win over Auburn. He struck out eight and allowed just five baserunners. There’s not much to say that hasn’t already been said about King. He’s Florida’s ace, and the Gators are tough to beat when he’s on the mound. A sub-1.75 ERA and .188 opposing batting average tell the story here.
Shane Sdao is the veteran presence on this pitching staff, and he likes to fill up the zone with more than 70% strikes. He missed last year with Tommy John surgery, but there are no apparent limitations on him despite the time off. His fastball will sit between 91-94 mph, while his slider comes in at 80-82 and is his best pitch. He has a faster, 84-87 cutter-ish pitch with less tilt, and he flashes an 83-86 mph changeup that isn’t quite ready for regular use.
He’s given up 63 hits and 33 earned runs over 53 innings this year, but he’ll miss bats at a decent clip (25.7% strikeout rate). Walks aren’t going to come easily, so Florida’s plan should be to attack early and often. — David Rosenberg
Florida Gators starting lineup
Texas A&M Aggies starting lineup
When is Florida vs. Texas A&M?
What channel is Florida vs. Texas A&M?
The Florida at Texas A&M game starts at 6:30 p.m. ET from Condron Family Ballpark in Gainesville, Florida.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Live updates, highlights from Florida baseball vs Texas A&M on Friday
Reporting by Adam Dubbin, Gators Wire / Gators Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
