With the bases loaded and nobody out in the top of the first inning, sophomore third baseman Ethan Surowiec hit the first grand slam of his career.
Behind a six-run first inning, Florida (35-18, 16-11 SEC) defeated LSU (29-25, 9-19 SEC), 11-8, Thursday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to take the first game of its final regular-season series.
After missing UF’s last two games due to a sore toe, redshirt sophomore outfielder Kyle Jones led the game off with a first-pitch single to center. Sophomore shortstop Brendan Lawson, coming off a strong series against Kentucky, followed with a single of his own. Senior left fielder Blake Cyr walked to load the bases for Surowiec, who promptly demolished a high breaking ball for a grand slam.
LSU sophomore starting pitcher Danny Lachenmayer was able to record two outs, but he gave up a sharp double to junior first baseman Landon Stripling and walked the next two batters to load the bases for the second time. In his second at-bat of the inning, Jones hit a 2-RBI single that capped the Gators’ six run first inning.
In the fourth, Cyr blooped a single into left field that scored junior outfielder Hayden Yost, who was hit by a pitcher earlier in the inning.
Redshirt sophomore designated hitter Caden McDonald continued his hot hitting as he launched a 112 MPH double off the wall in left field to lead off UF’s half of the fifth. The Gators capitalized with a Stripling RBI single that plated their eighth run of the game.
With the bases loaded once again for the Gators in the seventh inning, Yost walked to score senior catcher Karson Bowen. A passed ball then pushed the Gators into double digits, giving them a 10-4 lead.
In the eighth, the Gators loaded the bases for the fourth time, allowing redshirt junior second baseman Cade Kurland to work a walk and plate another run.
While UF benefited from 13 total walks, its own pitching proved enough to take the series opener. The Gators allowed just two walks and struck out 14 Tigers behind a 5.1 inning start by sophomore right-hander Aidan King.
King, a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award, had a similar outing to last Friday’s against Kentucky.
He threw two scoreless innings to start, but was met with trouble in the third as he gave up two straight singles to open the inning.
With runners at the corners, a passed ball scored senior outfielder Chris Stanfield. Sophomore outfielder Derek Curiel then laced an RBI double to right field, and sophomore catcher Cade Arrambide followed with an RBI single that drove in Curiel.
It was the second straight start King allowed three runs in the third, but Florida remained in the driver’s seat early with a 6-3 lead.
King settled down in the fourth and kept the Tigers from scoring, but that was only due to freshman outfielder Cash Strayer's leaping grab that robbed Stanfield of an RBI extra-base hit.
UF’s ace bounced back in a big way in the fifth inning as he struck out the side in order. This brought King’s strikeout total to seven on the night, but he ran into trouble in the sixth. LSU junior shortstop Steven Milam hit a solo home run that made it 8-4, ending King's night on the mound. He allowed four earned runs on eight hits while surrendering no walks and striking out seven.
Sophomore righty Jackson Barberi relieved King, and in his first outing since returning from injury, touched 100.6 MPH. Barberi ultimately worked out of the sixth and retired the Tigers in order in the seventh.
However, LSU’s Omar Serna welcomed him to the bottom of the eighth with a deep home run to center field that cut Florida’s lead to six, 11-5.
Redshirt senior right-hander Billy Barlow relieved Barberi and immediately struck out Arrambide.
Barlow didn’t make it out of the inning though, as he was pulled after making a throwing error and hitting LSU’s Seth Dardar. Graduate lefty Ernesto Lugo-Canchola was brought in and worked out of the inning, but not before walking in another run.
UF led 11-6 heading into the ninth inning, and the pair of redshirt senior right-hander Ricky Reeth and redshirt freshman righty Joshua Whritenour closed the game. Reeth allowed two runs, but the Gators’ hefty lead was enough to hold off the Tigers as Whritenour struck out two and induced a game-ending groundout.
The Gators will look to win their final regular-season series of the year against LSU tomorrow at 7:30 p.m.
Contact Colton Veres at cveres@alligator.org. Follow him on X at @colton_veres.
Colton Veres is a senior sports journalism student in his first semester at The Alligator. He is currently the Summer 2026 baseball reporter. In his free time he enjoys watching the Red Sox and spending times with friends and loved ones.
