Florida held a comfortable three-run lead as the game approached the seventh inning.
That lead, and the series-clinching victory, slipped through the team's grasp after Tennessee scored four runs in the top of the seventh to take a 5-4 advantage in Gainesville.
The Volunteers held on to that lead, handing the Gators their second-straight one-run loss at Alfred A. McKethan Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
"I’m disappointed that our three seniors have to go out without winning their last home game," coach Kevin O'Sullivan said in a release. "We’re in a difficult position… Obviously we’ve got to do a better job on the mound, it’s that simple.”
Both teams were knotted at one in the bottom of the fifth when UF (30-23, 10-17 SEC) broke out and plated three runs to lead UT (35-17, 12-15 SEC) 4-1.
Center fielder Jud Fabian made it 2-1 with an RBI single through the left side that scored second baseman Jacob Young.
The Gators showcased some strength later in the inning, smashing back-to-back home runs to up the lead to three.
Shortstop Brady McConnell sent his third home run of the series out to left field. His 15 home runs this year is a new UF single-season record by a shortstop. He surpassed the 14 hit by Mark Ellis in 1998.
In the next at-bat, left fielder Austin Langworthy took the first pitch from Volunteers starter Zach Linginfelter out beyond the fence in right to round out the scoring for the Gators.
On the mound, UF starter Nick Pogue pitched well.
The freshman went 5.1 innings, giving up just one hit and one earned run during his outing. He walked one and fanned two, and his only mistake of the contest was the home run by UT designated hitter Evan Russell in the second inning.
"He did everything we could have asked of him," O'Sullivan said. "He went further than our other two starters Friday and Saturday… Hopefully he’s making some strides forward, which I really think he is."
Pogue's performance was spoiled, though, when freshman reliever Nolan Crisp came in during the seventh.
Crisp earned his third loss of the season after giving up four earned runs on four hits during just one inning of play.
A three-run homer by Tennessee shortstop Ricky Martinez tied the game with one out.
The Volunteers seized the lead later in the inning when catcher Connor Pavolony scored from third on a ground ball from center fielder Jay Charlston.
"Limit the big inning. We keep talking about the same thing over and over," O'Sullivan said. "The whole mentality has got to be if you give up a run in an inning, battle like heck to not give up a second. If you give up two, battle like heck to not give up a third one. That’s the mentality you have to have."
With the loss and just three regular season games remaining before the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Alabama, UF's hopes for the NCAA Tournament continue to dwindle.
Follow Evan Lepak on Twitter @evanmplepak. Contact him at elepak@alligator.org.
Nolan Crisp struggled in relief as Florida blew a late lead and dropped the rubber game of its final home series of the year.
