In a closely contested midweek battle, the No. 7 Florida Gators edged out Florida Atlantic 4-2 at Condron Family Ballpark on Wednesday night. Despite multiple late-inning opportunities, the Owls couldn’t capitalize and fell just short in their upset bid.
FAU (10-2) showed resilience after falling behind early. Florida (12-2) built a 2-0 lead with single runs in the first and second innings, but Owls’ starter Zach Kilby limited the damage. Kilby worked four innings, surrendering three runs on four hits while keeping FAU within striking distance.
The Gators extended their lead to 3-0 in the fourth when Blake Cyr launched a solo home run. However, FAU steadily chipped away in the middle innings. Danny Baez sparked the comeback with a leadoff double in the sixth and later scored on a groundout. In the seventh, Nick Romano drew a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a Florida throwing error to cut the deficit to 3-2.
Florida added an insurance run in the eighth when Brody Donay delivered an opposite-field solo home run, giving the Gators some breathing room. The Owls threatened again in the ninth as Romano drew another leadoff walk to bring the tying run to the plate. However, Florida’s bullpen shut the door, retiring the next three batters in order to secure the win.
FAU consistently put pressure on the Gators, placing the leadoff runner on base in six of the nine innings. However, the Owls struggled to convert those opportunities, finishing 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Baez’s sixth-inning double stood as FAU’s lone extra-base hit.
Out of the bullpen, Carter Holjes kept FAU within striking distance with two scoreless innings. Steven Andrews delivered a clutch performance in the seventh, entering with two runners on and inducing a groundout followed by a double play to escape the jam.
Florida out-hit FAU 7-5 and went 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position, capitalizing on their limited opportunities.
FAU will now turn its attention to a three-game home-and-home series with FIU. The series begins Friday night in Miami at 6:30 p.m., continues Saturday in Boca Raton at 4 p.m., and concludes back in Miami on Sunday at noon.
