Fifth-seeded Florida run-rules fourth-seeded Alabama, punches ticket to SEC semifinals
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Florida is two wins away from its first SEC tournament title since 2015.
The fifth-seeded Gators broke a 2-0 game open with five runs in the fifth and four more in the seventh on their way to a 13-3, eight-inning victory over fourth-seeded Alabama in Thursday’s quarterfinal game at the Hoover Met. Florida will face top-seeded Georgia on Saturday after the Bulldogs topped eighth-seeded Mississippi State 5-3 earlier in the afternoon.
The game was scoreless in the top of the fourth before the Gators’ bats came alive. With one out, Brendan Lawson powered one over the right field wall to make it 1-0.
After Blake Cyr struck out, Ethan Surowiec blasted a solo shot to left to double Florida’s lead to 2-0.
The Gators poured it on in the fifth, scoring all five of their runs in the frame with two out. Hunter Yost’s RBI double brought Karson Bowen in from second before Yost came around on a Kyle Jones single. After Lawson was hit by a pitch, Cyr unloaded a two-run triple before scoring on an Alabama error to make it 7-0.
After Alabama broke up the shutout in the bottom of the fifth, Florida added four more in the seventh to make it 11-1, but Brady Neal’s two-run home run with two outs in the bottom half made it 11-3 and ensured it would be pushed to at least eight innings. In the top of the eighth, Caden McDonald’s two-run double stretched the Gators’ lead to 13-3 before Ricky Reeth slammed the door to secure the run-rule win.
Liam Peterson picked up the win for Florida, scattering seven hits over 5.0 innings while allowing a run, striking out eight, and walking none.
Florida will be looking to repeat the success it had against Georgia in the regular season, where it took two of three in Athens. First pitch for Saturday’s semifinal between the Gators and Bulldogs is set for 1 p.m. Saturday.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
