Tuesday Recaps: Gators Get Walk-Off Home Run to Knock Off FSU

Florida and Auburn had big wins over quality ACC foes. The Gators got a walk-off home run from right fielder Kendrick Calilao in the bottom of the 10^th inning to lift the Gators past Florida State 3-2. Auburn’s Steven Williams had another big night at Russ Chandler Stadium, leading the Tigers to a 7-3 win over Georgia Tech. Arkansas center fielder Christian Franklin, Ole Miss first baseman Cael Baker and Tennessee second baseman Max Ferguson combined for six extra base hits and 18 RBIs on Tuesday. All three players had six RBI games. Here is a recap of Tuesday night’s SEC action.

FLORIDA WALKS-OFF FLORIDA STATE:

Florida right fielder Kendrick Calilao smacked a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10^th inning to lift the Gators past Florida State 3-2. Calilao deposited a 1-0 pitch into the left field berm off FSU reliever Clayton Kwiatkowski.

The Gators took a 2-0 lead in the second inning on sac flies by Jordan Butler and Colby Halter.

The Seminoles tied the game with two runs in the fourth inning.

Florida right-hander Jack Leftwich tossed four hitless innings in relief for his fifth win of the season. He struck out seven batters.

The win was a big boost for the Gators, who had lost three of four games to Miami and FSU this season. UF avenged a 10-2 loss to the Seminoles on March 16.

WILLIAMS BACK IN COMFORT ZONE:

The last time Steven Williams played at Russ Chandler Stadium, he belted a walk-off, three-run home run to beat Georgia Tech and send the Auburn Tigers to the NCAA Super Regional at North Carolina.

Fast forward almost two years and Williams did it again.

The Tigers left fielder had two extra base hits and four RBIs in the 7-3 win over Georgia Tech. He stroked a two-run homer in the sixth inning and added a two-run double in the eighth.

Right fielder Bryson Ware also hit a two-run homer for the Tigers.

Six Auburn pitchers limited Tech to three runs on four hits. Peyton Glavine fired two scoreless innings for the win.

SEC TRIO DRIVES IN SIX RUNS:

Arkansas center fielder Christian Franklin, Ole Miss first baseman Cael Baker and Tennessee second baseman Max Ferguson combined for six extra base hits and 18 RBIs on Tuesday. All three players had six RBI games.

Franklin went 3-for-6 with one double, one home run and six RBIs in the 12-4 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. He recorded a 2-run single in the second inning and drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh. He capped his night with a 3-run homer in the eighth.

Baker went 4–for-4 with two runs scored, one double, one home run and six RBIs in the 13-1 win over Austin Peay. He was responsible for the Rebels first six runs with a 3-run double in the first inning and 3-run home run in the third inning.

Ferguson was 4-for-4 with two runs scored, one double, one home run and six RBIs in the 14-12 win at Western Carolina. He had a solo homer in the third inning and a 2-run single in the fourth. He stroked a 2-run single in the seventh and added a sac fly in the ninth. Ferguson, who has been mired in a season-long slump, had his first four-hit game of the year. He has seven hits in his last four games to raise his season average 32 points.

AROUND THE SEC:

Alabama scored five or more runs in three different innings in the 19-3 blowout win over Samford. The Crimson Tide batted around in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings against 11 different Samford pitchers. Alabama scored seven runs in the fourth inning, six runs in the sixth inning and five runs in the seventh. Centerfielder Caden Rose, who entered the game in the sixth inning, had two hits and four RBIs. He ripped a pinch-hit, 2-run homer in the sixth and added a 2-run double in the seventh. Left fielder Jackson Tate also had two hits and four RBIs, including a 2-run homer in the fourth. Alabama had 15 hits and took advantage of 16 walks, two hit batters and three errors by the Bulldogs.

Georgia scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning and held on for a 10-7 win over Georgia State. The Bulldogs took a 10-2 lead into the ninth before the Panthers scored five runs. Shortstop Cole Tate and catcher Corey Collins had three hits for Georgia. Shortstop Chaney Rogers drove in three runs.

Kentucky scored six runs in the first inning and cruised to 12-0 win over Division I newcomer Bellarmine. Centerfielder Aaron Schultz (3-4, 2 R, HR, 1 RBI) and third baseman Jacob Plastiak (2-4, R, HR, 3 RBI) homered in the win. Palstiak belted a 3-run homer in the first inning. Five Kentucky pitchers combined on the three-hitter and struck out 17 batters. Zach Kammin picked up the win with seven strikeouts in three innings.

Mississippi State out-slugged Arkansas State 18-10 thanks to some late-inning offense at Dudy Noble Field. MSU held a 6-3 going into the bottom of the eighth innings. The Bulldogs and Red Wolves combined for 19 runs in the final two half innings,

MSU erupted for 12 runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, and the Red Wolves followed with seven runs in the top of the ninth. Center fielder Rowdey Jordan (3-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI) and shortstop Lane Forsythe (3-4, 3 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI) combined for six hits, including two home runs, and five RBIs. Jordan led off the game with a home run, while Forsythe homered in the fifth. Kellum Clark, Brad Cumbest and Kyle McDonald also homered for MSU.

Missouri’s late-inning rally fell two runs short in a 7-5 loss to Missouri State. The Tigers trailed 7-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth before scoring four runs to cut the lead to 7-5, but got no closer. Catcher Tre Morris led the Tigers with three hits, including a 2-run double in the eighth.

South Carolina shutout Charleston Southern 9-0 as Jack Mahoney and four relievers combined on a four-hitter. Mahoney tossed five shutout frames for his second win of the season. He allowed only one hit and struck out seven batters. Left fielder Josiah Sightler (2-3, HR, 4 RBI) and first baseman David Mendham (3-5, R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI) both homered for the Gamecocks. Mendham hit a 2-run homer in the third inning and Sightler added a grand slam on the fourth inning.

Texas A&M picked up a much-needed midweek win with a 8-4 victory at Texas State. The Aggies, who were swept at home by Alabama over the weekend, won for just the fourth time in the last 16 games. Left fielder Austin Bost smacked a 2-run homer in the win. Alex Magers tossed two scoreless innings for his second win on the mound.

Vanderbilt scored four runs in the fifth inning in its 6-4 win over Eastern Kentucky. Second baseman Parker Noland ripped a three-run homer and third baseman Jayson Gonzalez added an RBI double in the four-run frame. Thomas Schultz worked six innings and fanned seven for the win.