Two fourth inning errors kill Florida's chances against Ole Miss

Judd Utermark slides into second base with a second inning stolen base (UAA Photo)

A bad inning at the office might have cost the Florida Gators a chance to host an NCAA regional. Two fourth inning errors helped Ole Miss push across two unearned runs as the Rebels advanced to the third round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament with a 3-1 win at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium Wednesday night.

The loss eliminated Florida (38-20) from the tournament while Ole Miss (38-18) moves on to a Friday afternoon game with 2nd-seeded Arkansas (43-12). The Gators will have to wait until Monday to find out their NCAA destination. Both D1Baseball and Baseball America project the Gators will be a No. 2 seed, most likely in Atlanta or Chapel Hill.

There was nothing wrong with Florida’s pitching but the Gators managed only four hits and their two fourth inning errors proved costly. Starter Liam Peterson and relievers Luke McNeillie and Jake Clemente held Ole Miss to seven hits while walking only one and striking out 11.

Peterson’s only tough inning was the fourth. After a leadoff single was erased by a double play, Peterson gave up back-to-back doubles by Judd Utermark and Ian Humphrey for a 1-0 Ole Miss lead. An error by third baseman Landon Stripling put runners on first and third. Campbell Smithwick then singled to right field, scoring Humphrey. Ashton Wilson’s errant throw back to the infield scored Ryan Moerman with the Rebels’ third and final run of the game.

The Gators struggled at the plate against lefty starter Hunter Elliott (9-3). Elliott gave up an unearned run in the fifth when Ashton Wilson doubled to left and scored on a throwing error by shortstop Brayden Randle on a routine grounder by Landon Stripling. With Stripling at second and nobody out, Justin Nadeau popped up a bunt and Elliott worked his way out of trouble by getting Bobby Boser to fly out to right field and striking out Brendan Lawson.

Florida had a threat in the top of the first but the Gators ran their way out of that inning. Boser walked to lead off the game, and one out later moved to third on a throwing error by Luke Hill on potential double play grounder by Ty Evans. After Brody Donay popped up, Elliott had Evans picked off first. When Boser strayed too far off third, Will Furniss threw to third to nail Boser for the third out.

The Gators had runners on first and third in the fourth but couldn’t push the run across. With one out, Evans singled to left and advanced to second when Hayden Federico bobbled the ball. Evans went to third when Donay tapped weakly to second base, but Elliott hit Blake Cyr for runners first and third. After Cyr stole second, Hayden Yost struck out to erase the threat.       

In 5-1/3 innings, Elliott allowed only two hits while walking one, hitting two batters and striking out eight. Mason Morris went the next 2-2/3 innings, allowing two hits while striking out two. Connor Spencer picked up his fifth save with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Peterson went (8-3) picked up the loss, going four innings while allowing five hits, one walk and striking out six. McNeillie gave up one hit and struck out four while pitching the fifth and sixth innings. Jake Clemente went the seventh and eighth, giving up a single and striking out one.

The Gators came into the game with the No. 14 RPI in the nation, which is higher than Ole Miss, Southern Miss and TCU, the three teams thought to be vying for a regional host along with the Gators. Ole Miss (19 RPI) got a win and is still playing in the SEC Tournament. Southern Miss (42-13, No. 21 RPI) beat Texas State 9-1 in the Sun Belt Tournament Wednesday while TCU (37-17, No. 17 RPI) doesn’t play until today in the Big 12 Tournament.