Gator baseball team shocked by Texas Tech, 5-4; faces elimination vs UConn on Sunday

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) -For the third year in a row, the No. 2 national seed Florida baseball team faced elimination after a humbling 5-4 loss to Texas Tech. The Gators (45-15) are in control of their own path. Florida has to win the next two games Sunday night to force a “winner takes all” match up with the Red Raiders (41-21) on Monday evening.

Brandon Sproat started off well pitching three shutout innings. In the top of the fourth inning, Florida struck first off a sacrifice fly by Josh Rivera, 1-0. However, in the bottom of the 4th. Texas Tech’s Gavin Kash fired a two-run shot to right field to take a 2-1 lead. Sproat gave up his second home run in the 5th inning as the Red Raiders took a 3-1 lead.

In the top of the sixth inning, Jac Caglianone blasted a two-run home to left field to tie the game up at 3. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Gavin Kash homered for the second time off Ryan Slater for another two-run homer, 5-3

The Gators scored in the top of the ninth inning off Cade Kurland’s sacrifice grounder, 5-4. Florida had a chance to win it with a runner on first. Caglianone pops it up and the Gators are one game away from elimination.

Sproat finished the night with six solid innings and seven strikeouts, but gave up three runs off seven hits. Caglianone was 1 for 5 and a two-run homer. Florida is 1-3 all-time vs Texas Tech.

Saturday afternoon in the elimination game, UConn kept their season alive with a 9-6 win over Florida A&M. The Rattlers ended their season with a record of 29-30. The Huskies (44-17) play the Gators on Sunday at noon.

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