GAINESVILLE, Fla. — No. 3 Tennessee played a doubleheader against Florida on the road on Friday and split the contests against the Gators at Condron Ballpark in Gainesville, Fla.
They won Game 1 by a score of 6-2. They lost Game 2 by a final of 4-3.
Florida took the lead in the second game on a home run from Brody Donay. The solo shot put the Gators up 1-0.
Florida went up 3-0 after Colby Shelton hit a two run home run in the bottom of the third inning.
The Vols had the bases loaded in the top of the fourth inning with two outs. Reese Chapman struck out though and the Vols would come up empty. Blake Burke hit a double to bring in a run in the top of the fifth inning. The Vols drew closer off a solo home run from Billy Amick in the top of the eighth inning.
Cade Kurland added a run for Florida in the bottom of the eighth inning with a single. It made the lead 4-2. The Vols would cut the lead to one again on a ground out from Christian Moore that scored Ariel Antigua in the top of the ninth to make it 4-3.
Billy Amick had a chance to get Tennessee all the way back with Blake Burke on base, but Amick popped up to the first baseman and the Gators escaped with a 4-3 win to even the series.
In Game 1, the Vols struck first in the top of the second inning when Dean Curley hit a single through the right side, bringing in Dylan Dreiling for the 1-0 lead.
Later in the second inning, the Vols scored on a delayed double steal. Florida catcher Luke Heyman caught a pitch and threw it to second base to get Curley out. But Curley didn't make an initial attempt while Hunter Ensley made a dash home and dodged the tag for the out-at-home play. It gave Tennessee a 2-0 lead.
Florida tied it up at the bottom of the second inning when Donay launched a two-run home run for the Gators to make it 2-2.
The Vols retook the lead in the top of the third inning. Bill Amick doubled and brought in Christian Moore for a run. Dreiling would hit a single to bring in Amick shortly after. Tennessee led 4-2.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Gators had a runner on second and third base with just one out, but A.J. Causey got a strikeout and a groundout to get the Vols out of danger.
The Vols and Gators were hitless in the fifth and sixth innings. Causey struck out five of six batters in that stretch. In the eighth, Reese Chapman drove home a run with a sac fly to center field to widen the gap, to 5-2.
With a Gator on first and third, Tennessee got out of a jam with another Causey strikeout and then a double-play to end the eighth inning.
Dreiling singled in the ninth inning to drive home Burke for another Tennessee run, 6-2.
Kirby Connell entered in relief to close out the game with his fourth save of the season. With two on and one out, Tennessee executed another double play to win Game 1 of the series.
Game 2 between the Vols and Gators will begin at about 7 p.m.
