GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) – What a crazy game at Condron Family Ballpark, it was stacked from top to bottom with a mixture of Gator and Seminole fans who witnessed a 2-0 lead by FSU evaporate into a 6-3 comeback victory for the Gators. And it started with a single to left field.
After a scoreless inning, the (13-3) Seminoles chased Gator redshirt freshman Schuyler Sandford off the mound after giving up back-to-back walks. Luke McNeillie, with two on, throws a wild pitch, advancing the runners to second and third base. Cal Fisher bolts one to right center for a two-run RBI single to give FSU an early 2-0 lead.
However, in the third inning. McNeillie calmed down, and FSU went 1-2-3. In the bottom of the third, after Justin Nadeau grounds out. Kyle Jones steps up and fires a single to left field, and later steals second. Ethan Surowiec belts an RBI single to left, and the Gators cut the lead to 1.
Florida kept rolling after Karson Bowen’s single loaded the bases, and it led to FSU panicking and bringing in a fresh pitcher. Cash Strayer fires a go-ahead two-run RBI single to give the Gators a 3-2 lead, and the fans in orange and blue let out a huge roar of cheers across the ballpark.
BIG INNING for the Gators as they pull ahead and extend their lead against rival Florida State.
One of the best rivalries in college baseball 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ITy8NWrpQf
— SEC Unfiltered (@SECUnfiltered) March 10, 2026
Florida loaded them up one more time, and Jacob Kendall smacked one to right field, bringing in two more to cap off a soul-crushing five-run inning for UF.
In the sixth inning, another “episode” of “Law and Order” aired at the ballpark as Brendan Lawson bashed his ninth homer of the season to give the Gators a three-run lead.
However, the Gators had to depend on their bullpen one more time as the Noles threatened to tie it in the 8th inning when head coach Kevin O’Sullivan opted to call on Joshua Whritenour to close it out. The redshirt freshman had not given up a run so far this season, and he responded by throwing five strikeouts in the final two innings to cap off a comeback that preps the Gators for SEC play.
O’Sullivan said, “Probably the best thing that could have happened was us playing Florida State. It was certainly going to bring emotions to another level and we are going to have to play really clean to beat teams like Florida State. The bounce-back win was probably the best thing we needed playing Florida State to get us going again.”
Because it gets serious, the Gators begin SEC play against South Carolina. The Gamecocks lost 8 to 3 to the Citadel in midweek play. Safe to say, there is a chip on their shoulder.
Liam Peterson is on for Florida on Friday night for Game 1. First pitch at 6:30pm at Condron Family Ballpark.
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