The Florida Gators vs. Auburn Tigers college baseball matchup on Friday night at Condron Family Ballpark is underway, and we are here to provide you with live updates and highlights from the SEC college baseball action.
Florida won the opener on Thursday night, 6-3, behind another stellar start from right-hander Aidan King, who got a boost from his bats — particularly Blake Cyr and his three-run home run that ultimately made the difference in the final score. The bullpen came through in the clutch and the Gators walked away with a Game 1 victory.
Auburn still has plenty to offer both from the mound and at the plate, and it should be another good one in Gainesville this evening. The Gators enter the matchup ranked fourth in the RPI while the Tigers check in at No. 10.
Climbing the hill for the home team is right-hander Liam Peterson, who was previously the first starter in the rotation but switched places with King recently to try something a little different. Opposite him is lefty hurler Jake Marciano, who has looked good recently after a rough start to the campaign.
Peterson gets out of trouble, Auburn remains scoreless
Lucas Steele, another lefty, comes in to replace the injured Gregorio and works his inherited count full before hitting a towering fly ball to right field that is easily caught. Peterson is out of trouble, but needed 22 pitches to get out of the first. (M1: Auburn 0, Florida 0)
Auburn batter injures himself swinging
Liam Peterson starts the game with a fastball over the outer half of the plate for a strike to the leadoff hitter, Mason McCraine, and we are underway! He gets the Tiger to ground out easily to the second baseman for the first out.
He surrenders a grounder up the middle for a single to one of the best hitters in the country, Eric Guevara, after almost getting him to strike out on a check swing that was very borderline. One out, one on and Chase Fralick hits a laser to second that takes a short hop, then glances off his glove to give Auburn a pair of baserunners at first and second.
Chris Rembert pops out to shortstop, which brings up the designated hitter Logan Gregorio. The left-handed batter tweaks his rib muscle on a check swing and has to leave the game for a replacement. (T1: Auburn 0, Florida 0)
Stream Florida vs. Auburn with Fubo (with free trial)
Florida vs. Auburn starting pitchers, lineups
NOTES: Liam Peterson took the rotation shakeup in stride, too. He went a career-best seven innings, allowing one earned run on eight hits and no walks. Working around those baserunners is a big positive for Peterson, and pitching to contact allowed him to get deeper in a game. His strikeouts were down to four, but Georgia is a good-hitting team. It’s worth the strikeout dip if Peterson can get the quality start.
Virginia Tech transfer Jake Marciano is the No. 2 on Auburn’s staff, and he’s settled in nicely after a rough second half of 2025 led to a 6.08 ERA. This is a guy who does not walk batters. He’s given up seven this season for a 3.4% walk rate, but he has hit nine batters. Opposing hitters have a .179 average against him, and Marciano’s 71 strikeouts match his season total from a year ago.
Marciano is a sinker-slurve guy that doesn’t rely on velocity. His sinking fastball will only touch the low 90s, and his cutter is in the low-to-mid-80s. He’s got a slower 75-78 mph slider and a 78-79 mph changeup. Still, he misses bats and has full command of his arsenal. — David Rosenberg
Florida Gators starting lineup
Auburn Tigers starting lineup
What channel is Florida vs. Auburn?
The Florida at Auburn game starts at 5:30 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 Auburn Tigers Friday
Reporting by Adam Dubbin, Gators Wire / Gators Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
