Gators down Razorbacks, even series

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Arkansas could not collect a clutch hit to save its life Friday night at Florida Ballpark, going 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and falling 7-2 to the Gators as the home team evened the series.

Freshman left-handed pitcher Hagen Smith never settled down after a two-run first inning for Florida. He surrendered a double and a pair of long fly balls, one which senior center fielder Braydon Webb robbed, and one which did get over the fence for a home run. Florida struck twice more in the second, cashing in on a leadoff walk and an error by freshman first baseman Peyton Stovall.

Catcher BT Riopelle took Smith deep to right-center field in the third inning, making it a 5-0 ballgame.

After rally-killing double plays in the second and third innings, the Razorbacks finally got a run across in the fifth. Senior shortstop Jalen Battles led off with a single, advanced to third on another by Stovall and scored when the throw to second went awry.

The Gators responded with two more runs of their own in the home half. Riopelle hit a sacrifice fly to chase Smith from the game after 4.1 innings, in which he allowed seven hits, two walks and seven runs, six of which were earned. The final Florida run came on an RBI double by first baseman Kendrick Calilao off of Razorback sophomore righty Gabriel Starks.

Following two outs from Starks in the fifth, senior right-hander Kole Ramage took care of the remaining nine outs. He struck out the side in the sixth, erased a one-out single with a double play in the seventh and got all three hitters he faced in the eighth to bounce out.

Senior designated hitter Brady Slavens cut the deficit to five runs in the eighth with a two-out RBI triple, but that was the last hit of the contest for the Razorbacks.

The two teams will square off once again at noon Saturday to decide the series. Arkansas sophomore right-hander Jaxon Wiggins will get the start, and the game will stream live on the SEC Network+.