Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
We inform. You decide.
Friday, March 29, 2024
<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-57fe5a27-7fff-03b5-8c23-df20c63c0c5d"><span>Shortstop Brady McConnell leads Florida in home runs (15), batting average (.365), hits (73) and RBIs (45).</span></span></p>

Shortstop Brady McConnell leads Florida in home runs (15), batting average (.365), hits (73) and RBIs (45).

The Florida baseball team dropped two out of three to Tennessee over the weekend in Gainesville.

In what was the team’s final series of 2019 at McKethan Stadium, the Gators missed on a couple huge opportunities to bolster their NCAA Tournament resume.

After a promising 10-9 comeback win in Game 1 of the series, Florida sputtered in Games 2 and 3, giving up leads in both contests.

UF did more than enough from the plate to put itself in a position to sweep the Volunteers.

UF produced 21 runs on 32 hits over the course of the series.

Shortstop Brady McConnell and designated hitter Nelson Maldonado led the charge, going a combined 12 for 27 with five home runs and eight RBIs.

Maldonado had the best performance from a Gator on Friday, hitting two homers, including the two-run shot that put his team up 10-9 in the eighth inning. The captain continues to perform at a high level during SEC play. He’s batting .322 with seven home runs and 18 RBIs through 27 SEC games.

McConnell has been even more impressive.

The sophomore showed off his power against Tennessee, blasting three home runs during the series. He had two on Saturday, including a 422-foot bomb to the deepest part of the park.

McConnell currently leads the team in batting average (.365), home runs (15), hits (73) and RBIs (45).

Florida’s bats brought it back from a 9-2 deficit in Game 1, gave the team a two-run lead in Game 2, and a three-run lead toward the end of Game 3.

Unfortunately for the Gators, the pitching staff let Tennessee spoil those advantages by giving up big innings on Saturday and Sunday.

Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox

After scoring two runs to go up 3-1 in the fourth inning on Saturday, Florida yielded five runs to the Volunteers during the fifth.

A similar occurrence happened on Sunday, as the Gators extended their lead to 4-1 in the fifth only for UT to score four and take a one-run lead in the seventh.

“It’s frustrating,” coach Kevin O’Sullivan said after Saturday’s loss. “When we get momentum and score some runs, it’s the pitcher’s responsibility to go out there and put up a zero.”

After a stellar performance on Friday, the bullpen had a hand in both of the collapses the rest of the series.

Ben Specht came in for starter Jack Leftwich on Saturday, looking to shut down the Volunteers and preserve the two-run lead.

Instead, he gave up hits to all three of the batters he faced. Four runs came across to score before he was pulled by O’Sullivan.

On Sunday, right-hander Nolan Crisp hoped to give starter Nick Pogue (5.1 innings, one hit, one earned run) the opportunity to earn his first-career victory.

That hope quickly evaporated after the freshman gave up four earned runs on four hits during just one inning of action.

“We need to get better and move forward,” O’Sullivan said on Sunday. “We got three games left, we’re gonna battle like heck and get ready to go and play Missouri.”

Follow Evan Lepak on Twitter @evanmplepak and contact him at elepak@alligator.org.

Shortstop Brady McConnell leads Florida in home runs (15), batting average (.365), hits (73) and RBIs (45).

Support your local paper
Donate Today
The Independent Florida Alligator has been independent of the university since 1971, your donation today could help #SaveStudentNewsrooms. Please consider giving today.

Powered by SNworks Solutions by The State News
All Content © 2024 The Independent Florida Alligator and Campus Communications, Inc.