TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Florida Gators baseball team suffered a series sweep at the hands of the Alabama Crimson Tide, falling 14-7 on Sunday evening at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The loss marks the first SEC series defeat for Florida this season, dropping their conference record to 3-3. Alabama improves to 3-3 in SEC play and 18-7 overall.
Despite a strong start that saw the Gators build a 4-0 lead, a collapse in the middle innings allowed Alabama to rally, ultimately securing a decisive victory. The Gators (19-6, 3-3 SEC) struggled to contain the Tide’s offense after the fifth inning, surrendering nine unanswered runs.
Florida opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, capitalizing on early control issues from Alabama freshman pitcher Myles Upchurch. A walk to Cade Kurland, followed by a single from Karson Bowen, put runners on first and third. A failed pickoff attempt allowed Kurland to score, giving Florida a 1-0 advantage. The Gators then loaded the bases with consecutive walks by Ethan Surowiec and Blake Cyr, and Ashton Wilson was hit by a pitch, extending the lead to 3-0.
Sophomore pitcher Cooper Walls initially held Alabama in check, navigating through the first four innings without allowing a run. He forced a double play to escape a jam in the bottom of the first, showcasing his ability to work out of trouble. Walls was relieved in the fifth after logging four scoreless innings and four strikeouts.
Alabama began to chip away at Florida’s lead in the fifth, with Justin Lebron hitting a two-run home run – his second of the series – to cut the deficit to 4-2. The Tide leveled the score in the sixth inning on a two-run home run by Will Plattner.
The turning point came in the bottom of the sixth, as Alabama exploded for seven runs, highlighted by a grand slam from Brady Neal. The Gators struggled to find an answer, with pitching changes failing to stem the tide. Alabama’s offensive surge was fueled by a combination of hits, walks, and a wild pitch.
Florida attempted to mount a comeback in the seventh, with Blake Cyr hitting a two-run home run to bring the score to 9-7. Cash Strayer added an RBI single, but Alabama quickly responded, adding five more runs in the bottom of the inning to seal the victory.
The Gators will return to action on Tuesday, traveling to Jacksonville to face Florida State. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Contact Adrian Carmona at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @abcarmona04.
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Adrian Carmona is a senior journalism major and the baseball reporter for the Spring of 2026. He previously served as the soccer reporter in the fall of 2025.
