Tennessee falls to Florida in Game 2 of doubleheader, Gators even series

Christian Moore drove in Ariel Antigua to trim the Tennessee deficit to one in the ninth inning, but the Vols never overcame an early deficit against Florida on Friday.

In the second game of a doubleheader and Game 2 of a critical SEC road series for No. 3 Tennessee, which had beaten the Gators earlier in the day, Florida's three-run third inning and its ensuing insurance run in the eighth were enough to down the Vols, 4-3 and even the series at Condron Family Ballpark in Gainesville.

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After scoring six runs in Game 1, Tennessee (38-9, 16-7 SEC) struggled at the plate, striking out 16 times between three Gators' pitchers. The three runs that the Vols' did muster came off of RBIs from Moore, Blake Burke and a Billy Amick home run.

Right-handed starter Drew Beam (6-2) allowed three Florida runs while allowing six hits and striking out four in 6.0 innings. He took just his second loss of the season.

Tennessee

1. Christian Moore (R) - 2B

2. Blake Burke (L) - 1B

3. Billy Amick (R) - 3B

4. Dylan Dreiling (L) - LF

5. Hunter Ensley (R) - CF

6. Dalton Bargo (L) - DH

7. Dean Curley (R) - SS

8. Reese Chapman (L) - RF

9. Cal Stark (R) - C

RHP Drew Beam

Florida

1. Ty Evans (R) - RF

2. Jac Caglianone (L) - DH

3. Colby Shelton (L) - SS

4. Luke Heyman (R) - 1B

5. Tyler Shelnut (R) - 3B

6. Cade Kurland (R) - 2B

7. Hayden Yost (L) - LF

8. Brody Donay (R) - C

9. Michael Robertson (L) - CF

RHP Liam Peterson

With one out in the top half of the first, Blake Burke moved into scoring position with his first triple of the season off the wall in center field.

Tennessee was unable to take advantage of it, though as back-to-back strikeouts from Florida starting pitcher Liam Peterson ended the frame still scoreless.

Gators' top hitter Jac Caglianone singled into right-center to get a runner with one out in the bottom frame, but a Drew Beam strikeout was quickly followed by a Cal Stark throw from behind the plate to Burke at first base to tag Caglianone out.

After another scoreless frame for both teams in the second, Brody Donay gave Florida its first lead two games on a solo home run to left to lead off the home half of the third at 1-0.

Donay's homer was followed by consecutive outs, but Beam was unable to get out of the inning without further damage. Caglianone hit a hard grounder that win under Billy Amick's glove and Colby Shelton homered to left in the next-at bat to extend the Florida lead to 3-0.

Tennessee put itself in position to answer in the fourth, loading the bases without recording a hit but a strikeout left the runners stranded and the Vols empty-handed again.

Tyler Shelnut led off the fourth with a single up the middle and reached third but Beam held him there to get Tennessee out of the inning unscathed.

Christian Moore singled to center with one down in the fifth and it was followed by a Burke double to the gap in right center that scored Moore and put the Vols on the board at 3-1.

Outside of the Gators' three-run third, Beam was able to hold Florida off over the next three frames, surrendering just one hit before left-handed reliever Kirby Connell took over in the bottom seventh.

Down to their last six outs and needing some momentum, Amick provided it for the Vols, mashing a home run to left to lead off the eight and cut the Tennessee deficit to 3-2.

Florida (24-21, 10-12) responded with a insurance run in the next frame off of a Cade Kurland RBI single to stretched the Gators' lead to 4-2, though Dylan Loy, fresh out of the bullpen in place of Aaron Combs, stranded a pair of runners with a strikeout.

Curley, who stayed alive at the plate after a pop up in foul territory dropped in front of Donay, singled to get a runner on and the tying run up to bat with no outs in the ninth.

Cannon Peebles worked a one-out walk to post runners on the corners for Tennessee and bring up the top of the order, with Moore representing the go-ahead run.

Moore grounded out at third, but it allowed Ariel Antigua, in the pinch run for Curley, to score and again trim Florida's lead to one at 4-3 with two outs. Burke drew a walk to keep Tennessee's chances alive but Amick fouled out to end the game.

1. Blake Burke gets Tennessee on the board with an RBI double

2. Billy Amick lead off home run pulls Tennessee within a run in the eighth.

Tennessee will look to take the series in its second conference rubber match in its last three SEC series.

The Vols currently sit in second place in the league's Eastern Division standings, half of a game behind Kentucky, which Tennessee took two of three from two weeks ago.

Game 3 between Tennessee and Florida is slated for Saturday 6:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.

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