Despite a seven-run outing from the offense and a scoreless four frames from sophomore pitcher Cooper Walls, the bullpen once again left much to be desired. After leading 4-0 after four innings, the Gators surrendered 14 runs and nine walks against the Tide.
Florida (19-6, 3-3 SEC) dropped the series closer against Alabama (18-7, 3-3 SEC) 14-7 on Sunday evening in Tuscaloosa, as the Gators were swept on the weekend for the first time in 2026.
For the first time this weekend, Florida opened the scoring in the top of the first.
Junior infielder Cade Kurland was walked, and senior catcher Karson Bowen followed up with a single to right field to send him to third. Then, a failed pickoff attempt on Bowen from Tide freshman pitcher Myles Upchurch allowed Kurland to hit home to make it a 1-0 Florida lead.
Sophomore infielder Ethan Surowiec and senior outfielder Blake Cyr were consecutively walked to give the Gators loaded bases with one out.
Senior catcher Cole Stanford was walked to score Bowen, and senior infielder Ashton Wilson recorded a hit-by-pitch RBI to plate Surowiec to extend the advantage to three runs after one.
Florida earned loaded bases with one out again in the third. But, freshman infielder Kolt Myers left the bags stranded as he grounded out into a double-play.
The Gators tacked on another run in the fourth. Sophomore outfielder Kyle Jones led off with a walk and proceeded to steal second. Kurland then reached first on a passed ball, which also allowed Jones to hit third base.
Bowen hit a sacrifice fly to score Jones to make it a 4-0 advantage. But the run ended as Kurland was picked off at first and Surowiec flew out.
Alabama threatened to score in the bottom of the inning. Senior infielder Jason Torres was hit by Walls to lead off, and senior catcher John Lemm singled to center field as the Tide had two runners on base with no outs.
Walls stood tall and recovered, forcing a double play and a groundout to end the frame. The former Hawaii transfer was relieved in the fifth in favor of senior Ernesto Lugo-Canchola after logging four scoreless innings and four strikeouts while forcing five groundouts.
Alabama cut Florida’s lead in half in the bottom of the fifth, as junior infielder Justin Lebron hit a two-run homer for the second straight day. The Tide then evened the game at four runs apiece in the next inning, as junior catcher Will Plattner launched a two-run bomb to left field.
That would be the end of Lugo-Canchola’s outing as he was relieved right after by junior Russell Sandefer.
Sandefer surrendered two walks and a single as Alabama earned loaded bases with two outs. The former UCF Knight was subbed in favor of freshman Joshua Whritenour.
Sophomore catcher Luke Vaughn proceeded to reach home plate on a wild pitch as the Tide took its first lead of the day, taking a 5-4 advantage.
After Lebron was hit by a pitch to juice the bags again, senior infielder Brady Neal hit a grand slam to left field to make it a five-run ballgame and marked nine unanswered Alabama runs.
Cyr had a response, however. With Surowiec at first after a walk, Cyr went yard to left field, scoring himself and Surowiec to cut ‘Bama’s lead to three. Then, with Stanford at second, freshman outfielder Cash Strayer singled with two outs up the middle to plate him to make it a 9-7 game.
Myers followed up with a single to left-center to put runners in the corners. However, Jones left them stranded, as he struck out looking.
Alabama did not blink, as Whritenour issued two straight walks before being relieved for junior Luke McNeillie, who had his work cut out for him as he faced two runners with no outs.
Vaughn was walked as the Tide earned loaded bases with zero outs. Graduate infielder Brennan Holt was walked and Fowler singled to left field as Alabama plated two more.
Neal sent two more runners home with a double to right field as Alabama continued to pour it on with a 14-7 lead after seven. The Tide held on defensively the rest of the way to secure the victory.
The Gators head to Jacksonville for their second midweek matchup against Florida State on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
Contact Adrian Carmona at acarmona@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @abcarmona04.
Adrian is a senior journalism major and the baseball reporter for the Spring of 2026. He previously served as the soccer reporter in the fall of 2025. He enjoys playing Sporcle quizzes and ranting about South Florida sports.
