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Florida held on for a 6-5 win over No. 3 Mississippi on Saturday to claim the series victory. LHP Hunter Barco tossed five innings in earning his fourth win of the season (4-2).

The Gators are now 18-9 on the season and 5-4 in SEC play.

How It Happened:

The Gators offense got started early as Jacob Young led off the first with a walk and Nathan Hickey followed with a single to right that put runners on the corners for Kirby McMullen. McMullen hit a sacrifice fly to center that plated Young for the 1-0 lead.

Once again, the top of the order played catalyst in adding to the lead in the third inning. Young led off the frame with a triple to center and Hickey followed with a sacrifice fly.

One inning later, starting shortstop Jordan Carrion laced a rocket shot beyond the wall in left for his first career homer and extended the Gators’ lead to 3-0.

The Rebels wouldn’t go quietly, however. In the fifth, Ole Miss scratched out a pair of runs against Barco.

The Gators got both back in the bottom half of the inning as Nathan Hickey crushed a bomb to right that pushed the advantage to 5-2. Following a Sterlin Thompson triple, Jordan Butler ripped an RBI single to right to make it a 6-2 ballgame.

Mississippi struck with one in the sixth and two in the seventh to close the gap to 6-5, but Florida’s bullpen proved up to the task.

After Barco’s five, Carrion took over on the mound for 1.2 innings of two hit ball before giving way to Trey Van Der Weide (who allowed two runs in the seventh). After two Ole Miss runners reached in the ninth, head coach Kevin O’Sullivan turned the ball over to Ryan Cabarcas, who responded with two quick put-outs to record his first save of the 2021 year.

Pitching Decision:

• W: Barco (4-2)
• L: Derek Diamond (3-3)
• S: Cabarcas (1)

Individual Stats:

• Young: 2-3, 3B, 3 R, BB
• Hickey: 2-3, HR, 3 RBI, R
• Carrion: 1-3, HR, RBI, BB
• Barco: 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 K, BB

On Deck:

Florida will face midweek competition for the first time since a March 16 loss at Florida State as they welcome the Stetson Hatters to Florida Ballpark for the second time this year.

The Gators defeated Stetson 10-7 on March 10. Overall, the Hatters are 19-9 on the season and 5-1 in Atlantic-Sun play.