Florida rides 14-hit day to rubber-match win over Kentucky

Kentucky has not come up with many solutions to solve its Sunday blues.

For the sixth time in nine weeks of SEC play, the Wildcats lost a Sunday rubber-match game as Florida took the series with a 9-6 win in Gainesville.

The No. 13 Gators (34-18, 15-12 SEC) pounded out 14 hits in the series finale, including three home runs. Caden McDonald hit one of those long balls, a two-run shot in the fourth inning that gave his team a 7-5 lead, then proceeded to pitch 4.1 dominant innings of relief to earn the win on the mound.

McDonald (5-1) allowed no hits, no walks, and struck out six.

Meanwhile, the Sunday pitching puzzle remained a struggle for Kentucky (30-18, 12-15 SEC).

The Cats’ starter, Nate Harris, recorded only one out in the first inning before surrendering three runs on four hits. The sophomore right-hander was on a short leash coming off a nagging shoulder.

Seven different UK relievers took a shot at the Florida lineup but did not fare much better. Toby Peterson (0-1) took the loss for the Cats despite facing only one batter. Five of the eight pitchers who toed the rubber surrendered at least one run, and the staff combined for just two strikeouts on the day.

Each batter in the Florida lineup recorded at least one hit, including two apiece by McDonald, Cade Kurland, Cash Strayer, and Hayden Yost. Brendan Lawson and Yost also homered for the Gators.

Kentucky got a three-run homer from Will Marcy to give it a 5-3 lead in the fourth inning, but could not muster any more offense until Hudson Brown hit a solo home run in the ninth inning.

The Cats finished the game with only six hits.

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Kentucky is scheduled to play Northern Kentucky on Tuesday at Kentucky Proud Park before playing host to Arkansas next weekend to close out the regular season. The Cats need at least one more SEC win to be in contention for an NCAA Tournament bid. Two would likely lock down a spot.