The Auburn Tigers (22-13, 0-12 SEC) fall short as the No. 3 Florida Gators (32-5, 6-3 SEC) extended their winning streak to four games with a hard-fought 4-3 victory on Saturday afternoon, showcasing a balanced offensive attack and solid defense. The Gators capitalized on a breakout third inning and leaned on timely pitching to fend off a late rally from the Tigers.
Florida’s offense started slowly, failing to score in the first two innings. Auburn pitcher SJ Guerin (15-6) kept the Gators off balance early. However, Florida quickly found their rhythm in the top of the third. A string of timely hits helped the Gators plate four runs. The rally was highlighted by a two-RBI double from Reagan Walsh, who drove a pitch down the right-field line to bring home Jocelyn Erickson and Rylee Holtorf, giving Florida the lead. Kenleigh Cahalan then added an RBI single, bringing Walsh across the plate to make it 4-2.
Auburn responded quickly in the bottom of the first inning. Nelia Peralta’s two-run homer to left field scored Icess Tresvik, who had walked and stole second earlier in the inning. Despite the early momentum, Auburn struggled to capitalize on additional opportunities and left key runners stranded throughout the game.
Florida's offense continued to put pressure on Auburn in the fourth inning, although they were unable to add more runs. Kendra Falby led off with a single to left field and then stole second base. After advancing to third on a groundout, she was stranded there as the next three batters could not bring her home.
Auburn also struggled to generate much offense in the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth, Anna Wohlers singled to left, but Florida’s pitcher Ava Brown (8-0) quickly retired the next three batters. The Tigers had another chance in the fifth but were unable to capitalize, leaving runners on base.
Auburn’s best chance came in the sixth inning when KK McCrary’s solo home run to right field tightened the game, bringing the score to 4-3. The blast seemed to spark some momentum for Auburn, but Florida’s defense and pitching held firm.
Florida’s pitching staff proved critical in securing the win. Brown, who came in as relief, allowed just two hits over the final three innings. Katelynn Oxley entered the game in the seventh inning to earn the save, helping Florida close out the victory.
Auburn’s Guerin started strong but gave up five hits in the third inning, contributing to the four runs scored by Florida. Haley Rainey, who entered in relief, pitched well in the final three innings, not allowing any further runs but couldn't prevent the Gators from maintaining their lead.
Next up, Auburn will travel to Lexington, Ky. for a weekend series against the Kentucky Wildcats at John Cropp Stadium, starting on Friday at 5:30 p.m. CST in search for their first SEC win to improve their conference record.
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Sarah is a freshman majoring in public relations. She started with The Plainsman in the spring of 2025.
You can follow her on X (Twitter) at @sarahsewall12
