ChompTalk.com

Blame the injury bug all you want — Florida baseball is bitten by something much more sinister right now. Needing a win to avoid dropping the first home series of the season, the Gators instead endured perhaps it’s most discouraging loss so far.

No. 13 Florida (19-6, 0-5 SEC) was rolled by No. 4 Georgia (23-2, 4-1 SEC) 15-2. The Gators pitching staff combined to give up six home runs and eight walks in the loss. The 0-5 start in SEC play is the worst since 2001.

“You would hope and think think your players would come out with some more fire and energy,” said Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan. “It’s Florida-Georgia. Maybe some players just don’t understand the rivalry.”

Junior right-hander Billy Barlow made his first weekend start as a Gator. His day began with a hard-hit leadoff double which was quickly followed by a two-run bomb into left field from UGA outfielder Robby Burnett. Barlow struck out one one his way to closing the frame with a 2-0 deficit.

Right-handed flamethrower Brian Curley got the start for the ‘Dawgs and put on a much better first frame than Barlow. He struck out two on his way to retiring the side in order. After one inning, Florida trailed 2-0.

Barlow returned to the hill for the second and experienced more of the same from Georgia’s power lineup. After picking up the first out, he walked a batter and gave up another two-run homer into the right outfield. He’d let up another single before punching out his third batter of the day to finish the frame.

The Gators were sat 1-2-3 once again in the bottom second as Curley picked up his third strikeout in six batters faced. Barlow returned to the hill for the top of the third inning down 4-0 and let up a two-out RBI double before recording his fifth K to get out of the jam. After three innings, Barlow was up to 72 pitches.

Designated hitter Brody Donay was the first Gator to reach base Saturday after drawing a one-out walk in the bottom third. Sophomore outfielder Hayden Yost followed it up with a walk of his own to turn the order over. Curley sailed one into the backstop to advance both runners.

Florida stranded both and sent Barlow back to the hill in the fourth down 4-0. He immediately gave up his third home run of the game and was pulled for left-handed reliever McCall Biemiller. He picked up three outs to get out of the frame without allowing more damage as UF trailed 6-0.

“We’ve gotta get deeper in the game with our starters,” said O’Sullivan. “I know we’ve got starters out but it’s no excuse.”

Gators outfielder Blake Cyr singled with one out in the bottom fourth for Florida’s first hit of the day. He’d be stranded by the next two batters and Biemiller trotted back out for the fifth. He walked the leadoff batter before giving up Georgia’s fourth and fifth long balls of the game to make it an 9-0 game.

Curley blanked UF once again in the bottom fifth, allowing the Gators’ second hit of the day on a Brody Donay single.

Right-handed freshman Carson Montsdeoca took the mound for his Florida debut in the sixth inning. He allowed a double before posting the first scoreless frame of the day by a Gators pitcher.

Georgia right-handed reliver Justin Byrd took over for Curley in the bottom sixth and allowed a leadoff single to UF third baseman Bobby Boser. Second baseman Brendan Lawson would score Boser on an RBI single to end Georgia’s shutout bid.

A double into shallow center from first baseman Landon Stripling put two runners in scoring position for Luke Heyman with two outs. He’d strand both on a fly out to center and the Gators trailed 9-1 with three innings left to salvage the game.

Montsdeoca took back over in the seventh inning. He loaded the bases with a single and a pair of walks with two outs before O’Sullivan pulled him for fellow freshman Felix Ong. He hit a batter and walked another to put the game in run-rule territory before striking out the last batter.

Florida entered the bottom seventh down 11-1 and three outs away from the series loss. Yost hit his first career home run to extend the game, but the Gators couldn’t add any more. After seven, they trailed 11-2 and sent Ong back out for the top eighth.

He struck out his third and fourth batters of the day on the way to a shutout frame.

Colby Shelton led off the eighth with a single but was stranded. Headed into the final inning, Florida trailed UGA 11-2. Ong walked the bases loaded and was relieved by lefty Jacob Gomberg with one out.

He’d give up a pair of two-run doubles and a two-run homer to make it 17-2 before getting out of the inning. Florida took over in the bottom ninth and was sat in order to close out the loss.

“The whole game was frustrating,” said O’Sullivan. “This one was a bit humiliating to be honest with you.”

The Gators will try to avoid the team’s first sweep since 2022 in Sunday’s finale at 1 p.m.