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The University of Florida baseball team now faces elimination in the SEC Tournament after a tough 5-3 loss to the LSU Tigers on Wednesday night in Hoover, Alabama. The 14 inning game lasted just over five hours and was the longest game in SEC Tournament history.
The Gators started out strong in the first inning where JJ Schwarz hit an RBI double bringing in Jonathan India from second. Buddy Reed hit his sixth triple of the year to bring home Schwarz to give the Gators a 2-0 lead.
Starting pitcher A.J. Puk had a strong outing for the Gators, going a career long 7.1 innings. But in the eighth inning, LSU scored three runs to take a 3-2 lead, chasing Puk and bringing in closer Shaun Anderson but he was not able to hold the Gator lead.
WATCH: Postgame thoughts from @GatorsBB LHP A.J. Puk, who threw 7.1 innings – https://t.co/ypwjnz5u7w pic.twitter.com/ZhUIOyx7eJ
— Gators Creative (@GatorsCreative) May 26, 2016
In the ninth the Gators tied the game. Reed hit a ball down the left field line that was originally ruled foul but video replay showed it to be a fair ball and he was credited with a double. Mike Rivera sacrificed Reed to third and he came home on a Deacon Liput single.
Dane Dunning came on in relief for the Gators and pitched a strong 4.1 strong innings but was credited for the loss when he allowed an unearned run in the top of the 14th inning. LSU pinch hitter Jordan Romero hit an RBI single to bring home the eventual winning run.
The Gators will have to take the field on Thursday afternoon in an elimination game against Alabama. The game is scheduled to start 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Texas A&M- South Carolina game which is set to start at 10:30 a.m. ET.
