The No. 6 Florida baseball team held a 1-0 lead over unranked Auburn in the top sixth inning on Thursday.
In a game dominated by a pitching duel between UF’s Logan Shore and Auburn’s Cole Lipscomb, one mistake could turn the tide either way.
The Gators realized that in the top of the sixth.
With runners on second and third and two outs, Auburn’s Melvin Gray ripped a 2-2 pitch from Shore to right-center field, what should have been a routine fly out.
Instead, outfielders Buddy Reed and Ryan Larson collided attempting to make the grab, resulting in a two-RBI double and Larson lying on the field for about five minutes.
UF outfielder Ryan Larson (left) lies on the ground after colliding with Buddy Reed in right-center field during Florida's 4-1 loss to Auburn on May 15, 2015, at McKethan Stadium.
The Tigers won the game 4-1.
“The obvious turning point was when we had two outs in the sixth and the outfielders collided,” UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “It’s unfortunate, but you just can’t have those types of mistakes at this time of the year.”
Florida (38-15, 17-11 Southeastern Conference) dropped to 3-7 in SEC series openers and is now out of contention for the SEC regular-season title with just two games left to play.
Shore — despite giving up just the two earned runs, striking out six in seven innings of work and at one point retiring 13 consecutive batters — earned the loss, dropping his record to 6-6 on the year and 3-6 in SEC play.
“He was pitching awesome the whole game,” said freshman catcher Mike Rivera, who threw out four of Auburn’s six runners who attempted to steal a base. “Just competing and getting outs.”
In his last two starts — both losses —Shore gave up just three earned runs and struck out 11 in 14 innings of work. In each of his last four SEC starts, Shore’s offense has given him just one run of support.
“Regardless of how well I pitch or how well I don’t pitch, the only thing that matters is the ‘L’ in the loss column,” the sophomore right-hander said. “It’s disappointing, but it gets me going for my next start.”
Florida opened scoring in the bottom of the fifth with a Dalton Guthrie RBI single through the left side, the Gators’ third of only five hits on the night.
Auburn (34-20, 13-15 SEC) responded when it scored two runs on the collision in the sixth and tacked on two runs of insurance in the eighth on a Jordan Ebert pinch-hit single and a Gray single to right field two at-bats later.
Tigers starter Lipscomb (6.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 Ks, 3 BBs) earned the win.
“(Lipscomb) did a really good job,” O’Sullivan said. “He mixed pitches and we fell behind.”
Game 2 of the series is set for Friday at 7 p.m. A live stream of the game can be viewed on the SEC Network+.
A.J. Puk will be on the mound for the Gators.
Follow Jordan McPherson on Twitter @J_McPherson1126
UF right-handed pitcher Logan Shore throws a pitch during Florida's 4-1 loss to Auburn on May 15, 2015, at McKethan Stadium.
