Rally Comes Up Short for No. 13/21 Gators in Game Two vs. Wildcats

Saturday, May 9

Gainesville, Fla.

8:15 PM

Florida Gators

33-18, 14-12

Kentucky

30-17, 12-14

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Kentucky	2	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	4	9	1
Florida	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	2	7	1

UAA COmmunications photo by Maddie Washburn

Rally Comes Up Short for No. 13/21 Gators in Game Two vs. Wildcats

Saturday, May 9, 2026 | Baseball

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Liam Peterson rebounded from a two-run opening frame to complete a career-high 7 2/3 innings before Florida put the tying run on second base in the bottom of the ninth.

By: Sullivan Bortner

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 13/21 Florida allowed two runs in the first inning and did not answer until the seventh as Kentucky held on late to even the series with a 4-2 win in game two at Condron Family Ballpark on Saturday evening.

The Gators (33-18, 14-12 SEC) received a career-high 7 2/3 innings of four-run ball from starting pitcher Liam Peterson, but UK starter Jaxon Jelkin pitched a complete game for the Wildcats (30-17, 12-14 SEC) with just two runs allowed and 12 strikeouts on 121 pitches. Brendan Lawson (2-for-4) snapped a 16-game homerless drought in the seventh and was joined by Hayden Yost (2-for-4) in recording a multi-hit effort.

Following another weather delay spanning four hours and fifteen minutes that pushed first pitch to 8:15 p.m., Kentucky opened game two with three-consecutive hits from leadoff man Jayce Tharnish (single), Tyler Bell (double) and Luke Lawrence (single), the latter of which drove home a pair to give UK a 2-0 edge. Lawson hit a one-out laser to right field for a single in the bottom of the frame, but was left on first base. Peterson rebounded for a 10-pitch second inning, retiring the side in order by finishing with his second strikeout.

Peterson followed with a seven-pitch frame by quickly dispatching the Wildcats in the third. Florida put a man on base in the home half thanks to a one-out bunt single by Yost, but Kentucky got a pair of inning-ending outs on a strikeout and interference call on Cade Kurland as Yost attempted to steal second base.

In the top of the fourth, Kentucky pushed a third run across as Lawrence (leadoff single) scored on an RBI fielder's choice by Braxton Van Cleave. Catcher Karson Bowen helped Peterson navigate away from further damage by hosing Van Cleave attempting to steal second base for the second out. The Wildcats later tacked on a lone run in the fifth via a one-out homer onto the left-field berm from Caeden Cloud to extend their lead to 4-0.

Peterson bounced back with a clean frame in the top of the sixth, then struck out three Wildcats to complete seven innings for the first time at home. The Gators promptly got on the board on the first pitch in the home half of the seventh, as Lawson led off with a solo homer to right field to make it a 4-1 ballgame.

Working into the eighth inning for the first time in his career, Peterson fanned leadoff man Scott Campbell Jr. for his seventh strikeout. His strong night came to a close after a giving up a two-out single to Bell, as southpaw Ernesto Lugo-Canchola entered and struck out Lawrence for the final out.

Florida stranded a one-out single from Yost in the bottom of the eighth, sending a three-run game into the ninth and final frame. From there, Lugo-Canchola and Reeth teamed up to blank the Wildcats as the latter fanned Cloud to strand two in scoring position.

In the bottom of the ninth, Ethan Surowiec gave the Gators life with a one-out single down the right-field line. Caden McDonald followed with a six-pitch walk while Bowen singled to right to load the bases for Landon Stripling, who brought Florida within two runs with a sacrifice fly to center field. An infield single to second base by Cash Strayer reloaded the bags with two down, but a pop-out to shortstop ended the contest with the tying run on second base.

Jelkin (9-2) threw a nine-inning complete game, surrendering two runs on seven hits and one walk.

Peterson (1-5) was handed the loss despite pitching a career-high 7 2/3 innings of four-run ball. He finished with eight hits allowed, one walk and seven strikeouts while firing 65 of his 98 pitches for strikes.

NOTABLES

Florida's four-game win streak was snapped.
The Gators have won 10 of their last 14 SEC series dating back to last season, going 28-16 across 44 SEC contests in that span.
Florida is a now 19-12 against unranked teams this season on top of being a nation-best 14-6 against ranked opponents and repping the most Quad 1 wins in the country (15).
Peterson pitched a career-high 7 2/3 innings on 98 pitches, 65 of which were strikes (66.3%).
Peterson recorded an out in the seventh inning for the second time in his career including the second time in his last five starts.
- Peterson accomplished the feat for the first time at home.
Lawson launched his team-leading 12th homer of the season to put Florida on the board in the seventh inning, snapping a streak of 16-consecutive games played without a long ball.
Cyr's 14-game on-base streak came to an end.
Florida has won 50 of its last 73 regular-season games dating back to last season.
The Gators are now 151-75-1 all-time and 81-33 in Gainesville against Kentucky.
Florida is 30-24 overall and 14-12 at home vs. the Wildcats under Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan.
The Gators have won 16 of the last 23 matchups against Kentucky.
Game two did not begin until 8:15 p.m. due to an inclement weather delay of four hours and fifteen minutes.
Saturday's official attendance was 5,489.

FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O'SULLIVAN
On Peterson's outing and how the game unfolded…
"Credit Kentucky. They were really aggressive in the first inning and strung a few hits together, but kept it to two runs. I thought he pitched well, well enough to keep us in the ballgame. Obviously saved our pen for tomorrow. Ernie only threw 14 pitches and Ricky threw nine. You just gotta tip your cap to Jelkin. He's really the story of the game. We knew going in that he was really good, he's been kind of the talk of the league listening to other coaches talk about him. He gutted it out for 128 pitches and once again, we took it down to the last at bat there. The biggest positive takeaway from this thing is when you start having games like last night when you're on the positive side of things and when you get to a point where you manufacture yourself to get the tying run in scoring position, that belief system is really important, and that's the most important thing. We could have folded and we could have been disappointed with our at bats the entire day. But credit Jelkin, he did a really nice job."

On Jelkin going the distance on 128 pitches…
"I didn't really give it a whole lot of thought. I know that he did not want to come out of the game. I saw Nick [Mingione] get to the top of the step and he just shook his head, 'no.' He wanted to stay out there. He's there, so I understand that. But yeah, he was really good tonight."

On getting Strayer back out there…
"I thought his ABs were good. That was the idea. To get him in the game. He has not played in quite some time. So playing in nine innings for the first time without seeing live pitching, was probably going to be asking a lot from him. But I was glad to get him out there. He got to play some defense and got some good at bats, so it was good to have him back."

ON DECK
The Gators and Wildcats face off in the series finale on Sunday, which has been bumped up to a 10 a.m. first pitch on SEC Network. A Senior Day celebration will be included a part of pregame festivities.