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Florida pitching falters in 16-11 loss to Troy in Gainesville Regional

On3 imageby: Zach Abolverdi06/01/26ZachAbolverdi

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — After a 2-0 start to the Gainesville Regional, the Florida Gators dropped their first game of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday with a 16-11 loss to Troy. The two teams will meet again Monday at 6 p.m. in a winner-take-all matchup with a Super Regionals berth on the line.

Florida’s pitching struggled against the Trojans, giving up 17 hits and 16 runs — their most ever scored against an SEC team. Troy had four homers against Liam Peterson and five total, including two jacks by Jimmy Janicki and a grand slam from Jabe Boroff in the sixth inning when the team scored nine runs to take a 16-5 lead.

Tied 2-2 after two innings, the Trojans had a four-spot in the third with dingers by Houston Markham and Janicki, who blasted a three-run shot. Brendan Lawson and Blake Cavill both homered in the fifth and Caden McDonald left the yard in the top of the sixth before Troy’s huge nine-spot.

Cade Kurland hit a grand slam in the eighth and McDonald delivered a two-run bomb in the ninth, but the Gators couldn’t rally beyond that. Peterson (3-6) earned the loss and gave up a career-worst 10 hits and nine runs in 5.0 innings with just four Ks as his postseason woes continue.

Here are live updates from Florida (41-20, 18-12 SEC) vs. Troy (35-30, 17-13 Sun Belt):

By:Zach Abolverdi

End of 9th: Troy 16, Florida 11

05/31/2026 07:49:05 PM

Surowiec reached on an error at second base and then McDonald hit a two-run homer to left field. It was his second jack in this game and Florida’s fourth, but the Gators couldn’t score any more runs to close the gap.

By:Zach Abolverdi

End of 8th: Troy 16, Florida 9

05/31/2026 07:13:53 PM

After two walks and Stripling’s second single, Cade Kurland hit the second grand slam of the day. It marked his fourth home run in three games of the Gainesville Regional. Troy’s second reliever, RHP Matt Dill, fanned Jones and Cyr to end the inning. Barlow chucked another scorless inning.

By:Zach Abolverdi

End of 7th: Troy 16, Florida 5

05/31/2026 07:03:35 PM

Trojans reliever Dylan Alonso issued a leadoff walk but then retired three in a row and struck out Lawson for his first K. Ellingworth fanned five Gators in 6.0 innings with seven hits, five runs and no free passes. Barlow tossed a 1-2-3 frame with back-to-back strikeouts to end it.

By:Zach Abolverdi

End of 6th: Troy 16, Florida 5

05/31/2026 06:29:18 PM

Caden McDonald hit a leadoff home run, his third jack in four games. Troy responded with a nine-spot as UF used four pitchers in the sixth. Peterson was pulled after his first walk and 10th hit, the most he has allowed in his career. He struck out four batters in 5.0 frames, throwing 104 pitches with 67 strikes. Peterson was relieved by Ernesto Lugo-Canchola, who gave up two straight singles — including an RBI hit to Aaron Piasecki — and was quickly replaced with Schuyler Sandford. He issued a bases-loaded walk, hit a batter to plate another run and was taken out after Meier’s RBI single. With Billy Barlow on the mound, Troy scored on its second bases-loaded walk in the inning — and the second free pass for Sean Darnell — and then Jabe Boroff hit a two-out grand slam.

By:Zach Abolverdi

End of 5th: Troy 7, Florida 4

05/31/2026 05:45:12 PM

Brendan Lawson hit his third homer in as many days to cut into the deficit. It was Lawson’s team-high 19th big fly of the season and a two-run shot to score Jones after his one-out single. Peterson then allowed his fourth home run, a leadoff bomb to Blake Cavill.

By:Zach Abolverdi

End of 4th: Troy 6, Florida 2

05/31/2026 05:24:30 PM

Peterson gave up two more two-out hits, but both were stranded. He has allowed eight hits vs. four strikeouts through 4.0 innings. Ellingworth hurled his second straight 1-2-3 frame and has retired seven batters in a row.

By:Zach Abolverdi

End of 3rd: Troy 6, Florida 2

05/31/2026 05:07:54 PM

The Trojans produced a four-spot with four hits and two home runs. Peterson gave up a leadoff jack to 9-hole hitter Houston Markham — his third dinger this season and second today (he also hit one vs. Miami). Janicki then left the yard with a three-run shot, his second big fly of the game. Peterson struck out Steven Meier and Drew Nelson for the last two outs. Troy starting pitcher Cooper Ellingworth tossed his first 1-2-3 frame, striking out Cyr before Surowiec and Caden McDonald flied out.

By:Zach Abolverdi

End of 2nd: Florida 2, Troy 2

05/31/2026 04:45:38 PM

With the bases loaded, Kyle Jones hit a two-out, two RBI single to tie the game. The Gators scored a pair of runs on four hits in the second. Peterson pitched a 1-2-3 frame and struck out his first Trojan.

By:Zach Abolverdi

End of 1st: Troy 2, Florida 0

05/31/2026 04:26:09 PM

The Trojans got on the board first with a two-out, two-run homer by Jimmy Janicki, the Sun Belt Player of the Year. Blake Cyr was Florida’s first batter on base after he was hit by a pitch. He advanced to second on a passed ball but was stranded as Ethan Surowiec grounded out along with Kyle Jones.

Florida Gators Starting Lineup

1. CF Kyle Jones
2. SS Brendan Lawson
3. LF Blake Cyr
4. 3B Ethan Surowiec
5. DH Caden McDonald
6. C Karson Bowen
7. 1B Landon Stripling
8. 2B Cade Kurland
9. RF Hayden Yost

SP: RHP Liam Peterson

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