Wild Pitches Crucial in Late-Inning Defeat

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Kentucky had played a nearly perfect game until it didn’t, dropping its series opener 7-6 at No. 13 Florida on a long Friday night at Condron Family Ballpark.

UK fell to 29-17 overall and 11-14 in the Southeastern Conference after seeing a 6-1 lead in the eighth inning erased.

The Wildcats put up five runs on Aidan King, the presumptive SEC Pitcher of the Year, as it scored three runs in the third inning and added on until it had a five-run lead. Then the fateful eighth inning transpired.

The Gators narrowed the deficit to 6-2 but the Cats rebounded and appeared to end the inning there but a strike three wild pitch opened the door and Florida knocked it down. After a single and walk loaded the bases, a bases clearing double compounded by an error sliced the lead to one. A wild pitched tied the game and completed the five-run, two out rally.

A bases loaded single completed Florida’s comeback walkoff victory.

NOTES

• Kentucky is 29-17 on the season, 11-14 in SEC play.
  • UK is 10-11 on the road in 2026.
  • UK is 4-6 vs. Top 25 opponents.
• UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his 10th season at the helm and now owns a 322-209 career record.
  • Mingione is the second-winningest coach in school history.
  • Mingione is 124-138 in SEC games.
    • He is 51-82 in SEC road games in his career.
  • Mingione now is 8-16 vs. Florida.
• The game was delayed three hours by inclement weather.
• The Cats scored three runs in the third inning.
  • UK has scored three or more runs in an inning 49 times this season.
    • It is the eighth time in the past four games.
• IF Luke Lawrence went 2-for-5 with three RBI.
  • He has 126 hits in his two-year career, moving him into 45th place on the all-time chart.
  • He has reached safely in 48 of his past 49 games.
  • He has 19 multi-hit games this season and 40 at Kentucky.
• IF Tyler Bell He has reached safely in 83 of 87 career games.
• C Owen Jenkins had three hits.
• IF Caeden Cloud went 2-for-4 with a run, RBI and double.
• OF Scott Campbell Jr. went 2-for-4 with two runs, an RBI and double.
• OF Jayce Tharnish has a hit in 20 of his past 22 games.
  • He has reached safely in 24 consecutive games.
• RHP Jack Sams pitched 3.0 scoreless innings.
• LHP Ben Cleaver allowed only a solo home run in 4.0 innings.
  • He has allowed one run 11.0 IP in last two starts.

ON DECK

UK faces Florida again Saturday at 4 p.m. ET. The game will stream on SECN+ and can be heard on the UK Sports Network.