The Gators are still waiting for everything to come together.
It looked like it was finally happening as they took a 3-0 lead into the sixth inning of Saturday’s 11-5 loss to Kentucky after winning the series opener 4-1 on Friday.
But that lead evaporated quickly, and Florida (9-12, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) never led on Sunday as it lost 6-2 in the rubber match against No. 10 Kentucky (16-3, 2-1 SEC).
“I don’t think we’ve played a complete game yet as a team,” left fielder Justin Shafer said.
“That’s what we play for every day, so it’ll be great whenever we get that.”
Freshman Eric Hanhold struggled on Sunday after the Gators received consecutive strong outings from their starting pitchers to begin the weekend.
Hanhold lasted only 3.2 innings while giving up five runs and 10 hits and striking out three batters.
Kentucky took the lead for good during the second inning when Hanhold walked designated hitter Jeff Boehm on four pitches with one out.
After left fielder Kyle Barrett reached base on an infield hit, catcher Micheal Thomas took Hanhold deep to right for his first home run of the season, giving the Wildcats a 3-0 lead.
No Florida starting pitcher has lasted six innings in a win this season.
Junior hurler Jonathon Crawford is the only UF starter to have a six-inning outing this year, and on the three occasions in which he did, he received a total of four runs of support.
Wildcats starter Corey Littrell gave up 10 hits, but scattered them as he allowed just one run and struck out seven in eight innings of work.
“He was mixing it up,” said Shafer, who finished the game 3 for 5 at the plate.
“He was throwing four pitches for strikes, and when a pitcher does that, it can make it tough.”
The Gators squandered an opportunity against Littrell in the third inning as right fielder Connor Mitchell got picked off at first with Casey Turgeon at bat after leading off with a single.
Turgeon then singled to left and two batters later was thrown out at third to end the inning on a Shafer single to right.
“Part of it was my fault,” Mitchell said of Florida’s offensive struggles against Kentucky.
“That could’ve been a big inning.”
Coach Kevin O’Sullivan specifically mentioned another blown chance the Gators had two innings later.
Mitchell singled to lead off the fifth. Turgeon then let a 3-0 count run full and grounded into a 4-6-3 double play.
Harrison Bader, Shafer and Vickash Ramjit followed with back-to-back-to-back singles to give Florida its first run of the game.
“If we have a different result with Casey’s at-bat there, who knows what happens in that inning,” O’Sullivan said.
Though the Gators have not had many easy wins, O’Sullivan said he is not worried about how they get them. He just wants progress.
“Look at all the phases,” O’Sullivan said.
“I don’t really look at it that way. I’m just looking for us to keep getting better day in and day out.”
Contact Josh Jurnovoy at jjurnovoy@alligator.org.
Sophomore right fielder Connor Mitchell (13) swings during Florida’s 11-5 loss to Kentucky on Saturday at McKethan Stadium. Mitchell went 3 for 8 in the Gators' series against the Wildcats.
