For the first time in almost a decade, the Florida Gators took home a series victory against the number one team in the country.
The last time Florida earned a series win against a No. 1 team was in a sweep against the No. 1 Texas A&M Aggies in 2016.
In a bounce back victory following a game two loss, the Gators (35-18, 13-14 SEC) shut out the No. 1 Texas Longhorns (40-10, 20-7 SEC) 4-1 on Sunday at Disch-Falk Field to take home the series victory. It marks the fifth straight SEC series win for Florida.
Freshman right-hander Aidan King took the mound first for Florida, and he had arguably the best outing of his college career. He logged his third quality start this season. In seven innings, he allowed zero runs and recorded a career-high nine strikeouts.
The right-hander was replaced in the eighth inning by redshirt sophomore right-hander Jake Clemente. He had his struggles, walking four batters, but rose to the occasion and closed the game with runners on first and second in the bottom of the ninth inning.
For the third straight game this series, it was the Gators who delivered the first blow.
In the second inning, sophomore right fielder Ashton Wilson singled down the middle, allowing junior outfielder Blake Cyr to score.
Florida’s scoring continued in the third inning when Cyr singled up the middle, scoring senior infielder Bobby Boser to extend Florida’s lead to 2-0.
The Gators recorded their first and only home run of the series in the sixth frame. Junior catcher Brody Donay hit his 14th home run of the season to give UF a 3-0 lead.
Florida scored another run in the seventh inning when junior catcher Luke Heyman singled through the middle allowing Boser to tally his second run and extend the Gators’ lead to four.
Texas finally got on the board in the eighth inning.
With the bases loaded, freshman infielder Adrian Rodriguez forced a walk, allowing sophomore infielder Ethan Mendoza to jog to home plate and cut Florida’s lead to three.
However, it was not enough.Florida held on in the last two innings to secure the road series victory.
For Texas, its struggles on the mound was its downfall.
Freshman right-hander Jason Flores earned the start for the Longhorns and lasted fewer than three innings. He walked two straight batters in the second inning, which put Florida in position to draw first blood.
He was replaced in the third frame by junior right-hander Max Grubbs after surrendering a single to Heyman.
Grubbs lasted until the eighth inning. He surrendered a home run to Donay and gave up five hits.
Redshirt senior right-hander Andre Duplantier II stepped onto the mound in the eighth inning. He lasted until the ninth, as sophomore right-hander Thomas Burns finished the game for Texas.
The Gators are back in action Thursday for their final series of the regular season against the Alabama Crimson Tide. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m at Condron Family Ballpark.
Contact Adrian Carmona at acarmona@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @abcarmona04
Adrian Carmona is a third-year journalism major and the Summer 2025 baseball reporter. In his spare time, he enjoys completing Sporcle quizzes and ranting about Miami sports.
