Florida started its 2025 campaign on fire. It opened the year 11-0 and entered conference play as the No. 7 team in the country with a 16-2 record. The script has been flipped since SEC play began, as UF dropped its series finale against Georgia and was swept for the second straight weekend, the first such occurrence since 2001.
The No. 13 Gators (18-8, 0-6 SEC) fell to the No. 4 Bulldogs (24-2, 5-1 SEC) in a mercy rule-shortened seven innings at Condron Ballpark on Sunday 15-4, as Florida has now dropped all six of its conference games so far this season.
Redshirt sophomore right-hander Jake Clemente started on the mound for the Gators and struggled mightily. He lasted just two innings, giving up four earned runs on five hits with only two strikeouts. This marked Clemente’s shortest outing of the season.
Three of the four runs given up came on a home run from Georgia graduate second baseman Christian Adams. His three-run shot in the second inning was the first of six long balls from the Bulldogs in their blowout victory. Adams hit two of the six homers and drove in four runs.
After Clemente, Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan turned to freshman righty Jackson Barberi, who gave the Gators 2 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. He struck out four, but gave up a two-run blast to Georgia senior third baseman Slate Alford in the fourth inning. Alford went 3-for-4 with four runs scored.
True freshman southpaw Niko Janssens and redshirt first-year right-hander Caden McDonald followed Barberi and didn’t fare well either, as they each lasted only one out. Janssens surrendered a homer to the first batter he faced, and McDonald gave up a three-run shot himself.
Florida’s offense didn’t provide much support for its pitching staff, tallying just five hits on the day. Freshman first baseman Brendan Lawson scored the first Gator run of the ballgame with a solo home run in the second inning. The Ontario, Canada native now has six long balls in 2025.
UF scored its final three runs in the sixth inning. Junior left fielder Ashton Wilson provided a pinch-hit RBI single, while junior second baseman Cade Kurland drove in a run with a groundout and junior catcher Luke Heyman put the last notch on the scoreboard with a base hit to left field.
The Gators’ schedule won’t get any easier after their poor start to conference play, as they head to Jacksonville to take on No. 5 Florida State on Tuesday before going to No. 18 Ole Miss next weekend. Florida took its first game against the Seminoles on March 11 and will go for the series victory at VyStar Ballpark. First pitch on Tuesday is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.
Contact Hugh Green at hgreen@alligator.org. Follow him on X @HGreen_15.
Hugh is the Spring 2025 baseball beat reporter for The Alligator. He is a fourth-year journalism sports and media major. In his free time, Hugh enjoys watching all kinds of sports with his friends.
