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The Florida Gators traveled to Starkville, to take on Mississippi State in a three game conference series over the weekend. Florida took games one and two to claim the series before dropping the finale Sunday.

The Gators are now 27-15 overall and 6-12 in SEC play. The Bulldogs are tied in the SEC standings with Florida and are 24-16 overall. Both programs have four SEC series remaining before postseason play.

Game One: Florida 13, Mississippi State 3 (8)

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 3-1 lead through four innings with the Gators offense struggling besides a Brody Donay homer in the second inning to the short porch in right field. The offensive woes were put to bed for the night, however, as the Florida offense erupted for twelve runs over the final four innings.

Luke Heyman’s three-run home run in the sixth capped a seven run inning that put Florida in control of the game, making it 9-3. Donay capped the game in the top of the eighth with his second blast of the night to put Florida in run-rule territory.

In total, the Gators collected 17 hits with Donay (4-5), Colby Shelton (3-4), Brendan Lawson (2-4), Hayden Yost (2-4), Ashton Wilson (2-5), and Justin Nadeau (2-5) recording multiple hits.

On the mound, Liam Peterson (W, 6-2) tossed a quality start with six innings of ball allowing just three runs. Peterson settled in after allowing two home runs in the first three innings. Billy Barlow and Caden McDonald each pitched an inning of scoreless baseball to close out the game.

Game Two: Florida 11, Mississippi State 8

Trailing 6-3 through six innings, the Gators struck for six runs in the top of the seventh en route to a 11-8 win while clinching the series for Florida.

Brendan Lawson led the way for the Gators, finishing 2-5 with two doubles and a pair of RBIs. OF Blake Cyr went 2-5 with a double and 3 RBIs. Brody Donay (2-5) and Bobby Boser (2-4, 2 BB) also recorded multiple hits for the Gators.

Aidan King pitched the first 4.1 innings, allowing six runs before turning it over to Alex Philpott (W, 3-3) and Clemente (S, 3), who recorded a three-inning save.

Game Three: Mississippi State 14, Florida 8

Despite jumping out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a Colby Shelton home run, the Gators found themselves down 8-3 through four innings. In the fifth inning, Florida scored a pair of runs highlighted by Brody Donay’s opposite field blast to cut the lead to 8-5.

After the Bulldogs got one back in the bottom of the fifth, the Gators responded with back-to-back homers by Ashton Wilson (two-run shot) and Justin Nadeau. Shelton was hit by a pitch and in scoring position to tie the game when freshman Brendan Lawson struck out to end the threat.

All the momentum that Florida had seized in making it a one run game was quickly obliterated as MSU leadoff hitter Gehrig Frei hit a solo homer to right to extend the lead. The Bulldogs would add four more runs in the inning to shut the game down.

Nadeau, Hayden Yost, Donay, Luke Heyman, and Lawson all recorded multiple hits for the Gators who collected 13 hits in total.

On the mound, starter Luke McNeillie only lasted 2.2 innings while giving up seven earned runs. Jackson Barberi followed up with 2.1 innings allowing two runs (one earned). McCall Biemiller tossed a scoreless 1.2 innings before turning it over to Billy Barlow, who imploded in the eighth.

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The Gators will return to Gainesville for a Tuesday contest against Georgia Southern. The Eagles are 23-17 overall but have won thier last two games. Florida then takes on Arkansas in a home series over the weekend.