On Thursday night the Gator baseball team posted 16 runs and 20 hits. On Friday night, it was practically the opposite.
Florida never got the bats going in game two of its weekend series with LSU and was unable to keep pace with the Tiger offense. LSU jumped out to an early lead and proceeded to bury the Gators, winning easily 13-1.
The loses dropped the Gators to 7-10 in SEC play and 26-15 overall.
Florida starting pitcher Christian Scott struggled in his third career SEC start, allowing five runs on six hit while walking three in three and two-thirds innings. In his three conference starts, Scott has allowed 17 runs and 20 hits in three loses.
After failing to score in the first, LSU then put runs on the board in the next four innings, combining to score 10 in those frames.
The offensive outburst was highlighted by a Daniel Cabrera double in the third that scored a run and made it 2-0. It was in the fifth inning that the Tigers really took the game from Florida.
LSU dropped five runs in the frame. Cade Beloso led the inning off with a solo-home run. The Tigers then played small ball to scratch the other four runs and make it 10-1.
Florida scored its lone run in the top of the fourth inning. Cory Acton hit his second home run in as many nights, smashing a solo-blast to right field.
Acton’s home run was one of six base hits the Gators managed on the night, a stark contrast to the previous night.
LSU starter Cole Henry struck out 12 Gators in five and third innings, stifling the Florida lineup all evening long.
In total, Florida struck out 13 times in the game.
Daniel Cabrera added three more runs for LSU in the bottom of the seventh, crushing his seventh home run of the season to right field, making it 13-1.
The Tigers totaled 16 base hits off Gator pitching and put at least one base runner on in every inning.
Brady McConnell and Bake Reese were the lone Gator to have multiple base hits on the night. McConnell going 2-3 including a double that led the first inning off and Reese going 2-2 in a pinch hit performance.
The series will be decided Saturday with Jack Leftwich on the mound for Florida and Eric Walker toeing the rubber for LSU. First pitch is at 3 pm.
