The Florida Gators pitching staff had no answers for Auburn outfielder Mason McCraine. The freshman went 2-for-5 with two home runs and 3 RBIs.
But UF still had a chance for a miracle, as sophomore infielder Ethan Surowiec stepped up to the plate with two runners on and one out.
Surowiec singled down the middle to load the bases, as senior catcher Karson Bowen was up next with all the pressure on him. But he came up empty, grounding out to a double-play to end the night.
Despite a valiant relief effort from junior reliever Luke McNeillie, logging a team-high six strikeouts while surrendering just two hits, the Gators’ offense fell flat when it mattered, recording just five hits to the Tigers’ nine while leaving 10 runners on base.
No. 20 Florida (28-12, 10-7 SEC) surrendered three home runs in a 5-3 loss against No. 13 Auburn (25-12, 9-8 SEC) Friday night at Condron Family Ballpark.
“We just didn’t get that one big hit,” head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “But the good thing about it is we got a chance to win a series tomorrow.”
The Gators saw trouble early, as two straight base hits from Auburn junior infielder Eric Guevara and sophomore catcher Chase Fralick put two runners on with one out.
But UF junior starting pitcher Liam Peterson escaped the jam, retiring two with a flyout.
Despite a two-out, two-strike double to center field from Surowiec to earn the first hit for Florida, he was left stranded as senior catcher Karson Bowen went down swinging.
The Tigers drew first blood on the first pitch of the second inning, as freshman outfielder Ethin Bingaman bombed a solo home run to center field to make it a one-run Auburn lead. It was the first home run surrendered by Peterson this season.
Peterson was able to limit the damage, retiring the next three Tigers on seven pitches. The Gators’ offense failed to respond, going down in order to end the second.
Florida saw trouble with two Auburn runners on base after Fralick was hit by pitch and sophomore infielder Chris Rembert singled down the left side.
Once again, Peterson bounced back, leaving Fralick and Rembert helpless by forcing a groundout to UF junior second baseman Cade Kurland.
Junior outfielder Hayden Yost led off the bottom of the third for the Gators with a strikeout, but the wild pitch from sophomore lefty Jake Marciano allowed Yost to reach first. Then, a passed ball shortly after sent Yost to second with no outs.
Freshman infielder Kolt Myers then bunted to Marciano to send Yost to third, but Marciano’s inaccurate throw to first sent Yost home and Myers to second as Florida notched the game at one run apiece.
Sophomore outfielder Kyle Jones followed up with a sacrifice bunt to advance Myers to third. Surowiec then plated the first-year third baseman with a one-run base hit through the right side as the Gators took a 2-1 lead.
However, the Tigers stayed aggressive, as Bingaman led off the fourth with a double down the left field line.
Auburn tied the game at 2-2 shortly after, as Myers failed to come up with a pop fly, which plated Bingaman for the second time today.
The misplay proved costly right after, as McCraine hit a two-run homer to left field to give the Tigers a two-run lead.
“Errors are going to happen. It’s a part of the game,” Peterson said. “Two to two, we’re definitely still in the ball game, but I made a terrible pitch, supposed to be inside and [McCraine] made me pay for it.”
Senior outfielder Blake Cyr took matters into his own hands, leading off the bottom of the fourth with his second long ball of the series to left field to put Florida within one run. Kurland followed up with a double off the right field wall as the Gators threatened to tie.
Despite advancing to third off a Yost groundout, Kurland was left stranded as Myers struck out swinging.
Peterson surrendered a hit and two walks in the fifth to load the bases with two outs. But the preseason All-American stood tall when it mattered, forcing a groundout to leave the bags juiced.
Sophomore reliever Jackson Sanders took the slab for the Tigers in the bottom of the fifth, as he started off retiring three of the first four batters he faced to end the fifth frame.
Meanwhile, Florida made a pitching change of its own to start the sixth, as McNeillie stepped up to the hill to replace Peterson, who finished with five strikeouts while surrendering seven hits and one earned run in five innings.
McNeillie retired his first batter, but surrendered a home run to McCraine as he hit his second long ball of the day after having just one all season entering the series. McNeillie battled back, fanning the next two Tigers to limit the damage.
Kurland forced a one-out walk in the bottom of the sixth, but he was left stranded as senior designated hitter Cole Stanford and Yost went down on strikes.
Despite surrendering a walk and a base hit to right field, McNeillie stranded both runners with his third strikeout of the game to send it to the home stretch.
Jones forced another one-out walk in the bottom of the seventh. Lawson followed up with a single to right field, and video review confirmed him safe at first to put two runners on.
A wild pitch from Sanders with two outs advanced the runners to second and third, but Bowen grounded out to leave them stranded as the Gators failed to capitalize again.
McNeillie did his best to put Florida in position to respond, retiring the side in order in the eighth. But the Gators’ offense came up empty despite Stanford reaching base on a hit-by-pitch.
McNeillie’s big night continued, setting down the Tigers in order in the top of the ninth, as he finished retiring 12 of the 15 batters he faced.
“You gotta attack them,” McNeillie said. “That’s our motto as a pitching staff.”
Florida came up empty in the bottom of the ninth despite loading the bases as Auburn’s defense stepped up to seal the win.
The Gators will have another chance to take the series with a rubber match Saturday at noon.
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.
