Kendrick Calilao didn't get into the game until the eighth inning but had two hits, each key to the win.

Calilao's first hit, a pinch-hit single, tied the game at four in the eight. He smashed a hanging slider over the wall in left field for a three-run home run that ultimately gave the Gators their 8-5 win to even the series at a game apiece.

The Gators sent Tommy Mace to the hill and the fourth-year junior had another strong outing.

Kentucky got on the board early. Oraj Anu singled with one out to start the rally. Ryan Ritter singled and the Cats pulled off a double steal to put both runners in scoring position, which proved timely when Cam Hill's single to right field plated two runs.

The Gators rebounded in the top of the third on Jud Fabian's two-run home run in the top of the third. Jud cracked another home run, a solo shot, to take the lead in the fifth inning. The home run was Fabian's 18th, which leads the SEC and is second in the country.

As has been the case all year, the Gators weren't able to shut down their opponent in the immediate half-inning after scoring. Hill led the bottom of the fifth off with a single and stole second. Austin Schultz singled him home and scored on John Rhodes' single to make the score 4-3. The Gators' tied the game with a Cory Acton pinch-hit single in the ninth and Kendrick Calilao put the game away with his three-run bomb right after.

Jack Leftwich came on in the ninth inning and earned his third save of the season. After recording the final out, Leftwich turned towards the Kentucky dugout and shrugged, which did not sit well with the Cats. Tempers have flared in the first two games with the two teams chirping back and forth.

“Nine of our fourteen losses this year, they’ve basically been gift-wrapped. We just beaten ourselves, and that’s the frustrating part. I’m hoping, we’ll see if a win like this can get this team moving even more in the positive direction, but we’ve just got to learn to play cleaner on the road. It’s as simple as that.”

The Gators will send Hunter Barco to the mound for the series finale at 2:00 pm on Saturday afternoon.