Auburn Takes Game 2, 10-8

The Florida Gators kept it rolling on the Plains on Sunday afternoon winning Game 1 of the doubleheader against Auburn. The two-game slate on Sunday was forced due to inclement weather on Saturday. In the 10-8 loss, defensive woes and a late-game hitting drought caused the Gators to come up short in Game 2 of the series. This loss ends Florida’s seven-game win streak. Pitchers Tommy Mace and Jack Leftwich combined for five innings pitched and allowed five runs apiece.

Power at the Plate

Auburn struck first in the bottom of the first with a two-run home run from first baseman Tyler Miller. Miller’s two-run bomb marked the first time Mace has allowed a run in the first inning all season. Both teams went quietly in the second putting two zeros on the board.

Florida powered back in the bottom of the third. The second baseman ignited the nine batter four-run hitting spree with a solo home-run to put the Gators on the board.  A walk for both Jordan Carrion and Jacob Young kept the momentum going. Catcher Nathan Hickey logged an RBI single to score Carrion and sent Young within 90 feet of home plate. Next up, an RBI double from centerfielder Jud Fabian brought Young home to take their first lead of the game, 3-2. 

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A sac fly from first baseman Kris Armstrong sent Hickey across home to extend the lead to 4-2.  The Gators added another two runs in the top of the fourth with doubles from Rivera and DH Kirby McMullen.

Auburn Rally

Auburn kicked off their rally in the bottom of the fourth. Power hitters Ryan Bliss and Tyler Miller combined for two hits, one off of an error from the third baseman who had two in the game. However, the bottom of the fourth was just a soft introduction of what was to come. The Tigers kept their foot on the gas in the fifth. Left-fielder Steven Williams started things off with a home-run to right field to put them within one of the lead. This would be the final pitch for Mace, as Leftwich appeared in relief. Next up, the long ball continued to fly as pinch hitter Cam Hill followed hitting a two-run home run off Leftwich putting Auburn in possession of the lead, 7-6. The Tigers would add three more runs in the inning off of base hits while managing to hit through the order.

The damage done by the Tigers was too much to overcome for the Gators at the plate. They were however able to add runs in the top of the seventh to chip away at the 10-6 lead. A two-out walk from Fabian started things off followed by a base hit from right-fielder Sterlin Thompson and a double from Armstrong to bring the Gators within two, 10-8. The last-minute rally could not be completed with the tying run at the plate as Halter struck out to end the game.

Kept fighting. Time for the bounce-back in Game 2.#GoGators

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— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) April 25, 2021

The final game of the series begins at 4:30 p.m. as the Gators still have the opportunity to claim the series over the Tigers.