ChompTalk.com

When Florida Gators head coach Kevin O’Sullivan came into the conference room after the first two losses of this weekend’s series against Georgia, there was a sense of anger and frustration in his voice. But after a Sunday loss which counts for a historically bad conference start, O’Sullivan was simply dejected.

“I can’t recall a weekend quite like this,” he said. “Had a team meeting yesterday, pressed on them a little bit, and obviously they didn’t respond.”

No. 13 Florida (18-8, 0-6 SEC) was swept by No. 4 Georgia (24-2, 5-1 SEC) in a 15-4 loss featuring six Bulldogs home runs. It marks the first home sweep since Florida’s matchup against Tennessee in 2022 and the worst SEC start for the Gators since 2001.

Right-handed sophomore Jake Clemente made the start on the mound for the Gators. The ‘Dawgs picked up right where they left off with the rest of Florida’s staff, laying down a leadoff single and later scoring the runner on a double lined into center. Clemente eventually got out of the frame, picking up his first two strikeouts along the way.

Florida’s offensive struggles carried over from Saturday’s loss as the Gators went 1-2-3 through the bottom frame and ended the first inning down 1-0.

Georgia kept it rolling in the second with a pair of single to put runners on the corners with no outs. Then, ‘Dawgs infielder Christian Adams crushed a ball into the right outfield to make it a 4-0 game. Clemente sat the side in order after hiccup but the Gators were still in a hole early.

First baseman Brendan Lawson made the first steps towards digging out. He sent a solo-shot homer into left field to make it a 4-1 game in the bottom second. The Gators couldn’t add anymore and sent Clemente back to the hill for the third.

The Gators righty walked the leadoff batter and was pulled for freshman Jackson Barberi. He picked up UF’s first scoreless frame of the day and put the Gators back at the plate. They went 1-2-3 once again and closed the third inning down 4-1.

“We’ve gotta figure out three guys on the mound who can go five or six innings,” said O’Sullivan.

Barberi let up a two-run bomb to start the fourth. After working two outs, he walked the bases loaded and had a word with O’Sullivan on the mound. He ended up escaping the jam and working two outs in the top fifth before lefty Niko Janssens relieved him.

Janssens immediately gave up another bomb to Adams before getting out of the inning.

Florida finally reached base again in the bottom fifth on a Ty Evans single. The rest of the lineup couldn’t hit him around, and the Gators trailed 7-1 after five innings.

Right-hander Caden McDonald took over after Janssens let up a leadoff walk. That led to a three-run shot for the Bulldogs to go up 10-1 and another two runners on base, prompting O’Sullivan to bring in redshirt freshman Christian Rodriguez into the fold.

He let up a three-run homer of his own to make it 13-1 before the Gators could get out of the frame.

The Gators got back on the board in the bottom sixth with an RBI single from Ashton Wilson, who came in to hit for Blake Cyr. Florida tacked on two more thanks to a sacrifice grounder and another RBI knock from Luke Heyman. After six innings, Florida trailed 13-4.

Rodriguez came back out for the seventh, trying to keep the Gators out of run-rule territory. He’d instead let up the sixth home run of the day, good for two RBIs, to make it a 15-4 game. Florida went quietly through the bottom seventh and secured a loss which marks a new low in the O’Sullivan era.

“We’ve got no choice but move on,” said O’Sullivan. “What we’re doing right now is not not working. We’ll make some changes.”

Next up, Florida heads to Jacksonville for the next leg of its midweek series against Florida State. First pitch Tuesday is set for 6 p.m.