Florida’s baseball team exploded for six runs in the opening inning of its series opener against LSU, a flurry that began with Kyle Jones singling off starter Danny Lachenmayer’s first pitch and quickly escalated into a grand slam by Ethan Surowiec.
The early onslaught featured a cascade of hits: Brendan Lawson and Blake Cyr added singles, Landon Stripling doubled, and Cade Kurland and Cash Strayer drew walks that loaded the bases for a second wave of runs.
Florida kept the pressure on, tacking on a run in the fourth with an RBI single from Blake Cyr and another in the fifth when Landon Stripling delivered a timely hit.
Key Pitching Performances
Starter Aidan King worked 5 1/3 innings, surrendering four runs on eight hits while striking out seven Tigers batters, but the bullpen struggled to maintain the lead.
Jackson Barberi inherited the game and gave up a pair of runs in 1 2/3 innings, while Billy Barlow, Ernesto Lugo-Canchola and Ricky Reeth each contributed brief outings that kept the Tigers from pulling away.
Late-inning free passes and a defensive miscue added two more runs for LSU, but Florida’s offense answered with a bases-loaded walk to Cade Kurland in the eighth, sealing an 11‑8 final score.
The win improves the Gators to 35‑18 overall and 16‑12 against SEC opponents, and the series will continue Friday night inside Alex Box Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET, with the game streaming on SEC Network+ and ESPN+.