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A career night from Brody Donay and a meltdown from Mississippi State's bullpen in the sixth inning led to Florida taking the first game of a three-game series, 13-3, Friday night in a run-rule, eight-inning game.
The Gators and Bulldogs traded blows for the first five innings as each starter attempted to navigate the other team's lineup while keeping their pitch count as low as possible. Gehrig Frei took Liam Peterson deep to open the scoring in the bottom of the first. Frei caught a 96 mph fastball up in the zone and took it to the right field corner, staying 10 feet or so inside the foul pole.
In the top of the second, Donay tied the game up with a home run in the same direction, but it landed about 70 feet further back than Frei's homer. Mississippi State retook the lead in the bottom of the second with a pair of singles and a fielder's choice to score the runner from third.
That's when both arms settled in. Florida managed scattered hits off lefty Pico Kohn in each of the first two innings, but he racked up the strikeouts at a rate of two per inning until he turned things over to the bullpen in the sixth. Kohn dominated Florida's lineup for most of the night. He recorded 11 strikeouts and threw 98 pitches over the five frames, while allowing two earned runs on six hits and two walks.
The second Florida run came in the fifth off a rare wild pitch from Kohn. Kohn had fanned plenty of batters with his slider throughout the night, but this one found the dirt and ricocheted all the way to the steps of the dugout. It didn't go in the dugout to grant Luke Heyman third base, but it was more than enough for Colby Shelton to scamper home.
Peterson wasn't the strikeout artist Kohn was, but he fanned a respectable six batters while walking just one. Free bases have been a problem for Peterson, and really the entire Florida pitching staff, at points this year, but Peterson pitched to contact well on Friday, even if it meant giving up a few runs. He worked into the sixth thanks to some strong defense behind him. Justin Nadeau and Shelton rolled a double play to erase a single in the third, and Nadeau made a web gem-worthy diving play in the shallow outfield in the fourth.
Reed Stallman got to Peterson for a home run in the fourth, but the Florida ace retired seven of the next eight batters he faced to go six strong.
Speaking of the sixth inning, that's when everything fell apart for Mississippi State. After the start Kohn put together, Bulldogs head coach Chris Lemonis turned to perhaps his best relief arm since SEC play began, Stone Simmons.
A grad student and five-year member of the program, Simmons returned from injuries that kept him out of action for the better part of three years. He entered the game with a 0.00 ERA over 14 innings against the conference, with 20 strikeouts and no walks. Donay got to him immediately for the first of six consecutive hits. Hayden Yost doubled in Donay to tie the game, prompting a mound visit from his catcher, Joe Powell.
Whatever Powell said didn't work. Ahston Wilson took two balls while showing bunt and got the 2-0 fastball down to the left side. Third baseman Ace Reese should have made a play to first, but he crashed so hard on the ball that he slipped while picking it up. The official scorer ruled it a base hit, but it could have been called an error just as easily. Pitching coach Justin Parker came out for a meeting after that unfortunate play, but it didn't do Simmons any good.
Nadeau singled up the middle, bringing in Yost and giving Florida the lead, 4-3. Bobby Boser sliced a double to the right field corner, scoring Wilson and putting two more in scoring position. Shelton drove in both runners with a double off the base of the wall in right-center, ending Simmons' night.
Chase Hungate took over for Simmons and finally got the first out of the inning, but Luke Heyman kept the fun going with a no-doubt, three-run home run to left field. Two of those runs go on Simmons' record, and Heyman's score is the only one against Hungate. Donay notched his second single of the inning with two outs, but Mississippi State finally got out of the deflating inning without him scoring.
The seven-run sixth put Florida ahead by six, and the run rule became a factor. The Gators needed just four more runs and solid pitching to end the game early and save the key bullpen arms for the rest of the series. Wilson delivered in the seventh with a leadoff double down the left field line. Hungate got off the first pitch to Nadeau, but something was clearly wrong with his arm, and Mississippi State quickly made a pitching change.
Kevin Mannell took over and struck out Nadeau, but Wilson got a good jump and stole third uncontested. Boser sent a soft grounder to the right side and Wilson took off for home. Mississippi State tried to make the play at home, but the second baseman's throw was high and Wilson slid in under the catcher. Boser swiped second and moved to third on a Shelton single, setting up a sacrifice fly from Brendan Lawson.
Now 11-3 in favor of the Gators, Billy Barlow took over for Peterson on the mound in the bottom of the seventh. A leadoff single could have been the start of Florida's own bullpen meltdown, but Barlow regrouped and struck out the next two batters before retiring the side on a deep flyout to right. Heyman took a ball in the throat area behind the plate in the inning, but he returned to the game after being checked on by the team trainer.
Blake Cyr, the only Gator without a hit on the night, walked to open the eighth, and Donay went deep for the second time on the night to satisfy the run rule.
Caden McDonald came in to slam the door shut, but a leadoff double and walk meant a meeting with Kevin O'Sullivan. A single loaded the bases for McDonald, but he thrived under the pressure, striking out the next two batters. Another deep fly ball brought Cyr to the warning track in left field, but he grabbed it a step in front of the wall to end the game an inning early and secure Florida's sixth straight win.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida Gators baseball at Mississippi State Bulldogs Game 1 recap
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The Gators and Bulldogs traded blows for the first five innings as each starter attempted to navigate the other team's lineup while keeping their pitch count as low as possible. Gehrig Frei took Liam Peterson deep to open the scoring in the bottom of the first. Frei caught a 96 mph fastball up in the zone and took it to the right field corner, staying 10 feet or so inside the foul pole.
In the top of the second, Donay tied the game up with a home run in the same direction, but it landed about 70 feet further back than Frei's homer. Mississippi State retook the lead in the bottom of the second with a pair of singles and a fielder's choice to score the runner from third.
Strong starts
That's when both arms settled in. Florida managed scattered hits off lefty Pico Kohn in each of the first two innings, but he racked up the strikeouts at a rate of two per inning until he turned things over to the bullpen in the sixth. Kohn dominated Florida's lineup for most of the night. He recorded 11 strikeouts and threw 98 pitches over the five frames, while allowing two earned runs on six hits and two walks.
The second Florida run came in the fifth off a rare wild pitch from Kohn. Kohn had fanned plenty of batters with his slider throughout the night, but this one found the dirt and ricocheted all the way to the steps of the dugout. It didn't go in the dugout to grant Luke Heyman third base, but it was more than enough for Colby Shelton to scamper home.
Gators withinon a wild pitch!#GoGators // SECN pic.twitter.com/yWprbrMh7a
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) April 19, 2025
Peterson wasn't the strikeout artist Kohn was, but he fanned a respectable six batters while walking just one. Free bases have been a problem for Peterson, and really the entire Florida pitching staff, at points this year, but Peterson pitched to contact well on Friday, even if it meant giving up a few runs. He worked into the sixth thanks to some strong defense behind him. Justin Nadeau and Shelton rolled a double play to erase a single in the third, and Nadeau made a web gem-worthy diving play in the shallow outfield in the fourth.
Reed Stallman got to Peterson for a home run in the fourth, but the Florida ace retired seven of the next eight batters he faced to go six strong.
A sixth inning to remember
Speaking of the sixth inning, that's when everything fell apart for Mississippi State. After the start Kohn put together, Bulldogs head coach Chris Lemonis turned to perhaps his best relief arm since SEC play began, Stone Simmons.
A grad student and five-year member of the program, Simmons returned from injuries that kept him out of action for the better part of three years. He entered the game with a 0.00 ERA over 14 innings against the conference, with 20 strikeouts and no walks. Donay got to him immediately for the first of six consecutive hits. Hayden Yost doubled in Donay to tie the game, prompting a mound visit from his catcher, Joe Powell.
Whatever Powell said didn't work. Ahston Wilson took two balls while showing bunt and got the 2-0 fastball down to the left side. Third baseman Ace Reese should have made a play to first, but he crashed so hard on the ball that he slipped while picking it up. The official scorer ruled it a base hit, but it could have been called an error just as easily. Pitching coach Justin Parker came out for a meeting after that unfortunate play, but it didn't do Simmons any good.
Nadeau singled up the middle, bringing in Yost and giving Florida the lead, 4-3. Bobby Boser sliced a double to the right field corner, scoring Wilson and putting two more in scoring position. Shelton drove in both runners with a double off the base of the wall in right-center, ending Simmons' night.
Beltin' Shelton JUST misses a tank!#GoGators // SECN pic.twitter.com/fm5rS7EPNK
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) April 19, 2025
Chase Hungate took over for Simmons and finally got the first out of the inning, but Luke Heyman kept the fun going with a no-doubt, three-run home run to left field. Two of those runs go on Simmons' record, and Heyman's score is the only one against Hungate. Donay notched his second single of the inning with two outs, but Mississippi State finally got out of the deflating inning without him scoring.
Finish it off, Brody
The seven-run sixth put Florida ahead by six, and the run rule became a factor. The Gators needed just four more runs and solid pitching to end the game early and save the key bullpen arms for the rest of the series. Wilson delivered in the seventh with a leadoff double down the left field line. Hungate got off the first pitch to Nadeau, but something was clearly wrong with his arm, and Mississippi State quickly made a pitching change.
Kevin Mannell took over and struck out Nadeau, but Wilson got a good jump and stole third uncontested. Boser sent a soft grounder to the right side and Wilson took off for home. Mississippi State tried to make the play at home, but the second baseman's throw was high and Wilson slid in under the catcher. Boser swiped second and moved to third on a Shelton single, setting up a sacrifice fly from Brendan Lawson.
Dashed In Wilson #GoGators // SECN pic.twitter.com/wnT11ODdNc
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) April 19, 2025
Now 11-3 in favor of the Gators, Billy Barlow took over for Peterson on the mound in the bottom of the seventh. A leadoff single could have been the start of Florida's own bullpen meltdown, but Barlow regrouped and struck out the next two batters before retiring the side on a deep flyout to right. Heyman took a ball in the throat area behind the plate in the inning, but he returned to the game after being checked on by the team trainer.
Blake Cyr, the only Gator without a hit on the night, walked to open the eighth, and Donay went deep for the second time on the night to satisfy the run rule.
Caden McDonald came in to slam the door shut, but a leadoff double and walk meant a meeting with Kevin O'Sullivan. A single loaded the bases for McDonald, but he thrived under the pressure, striking out the next two batters. Another deep fly ball brought Cyr to the warning track in left field, but he grabbed it a step in front of the wall to end the game an inning early and secure Florida's sixth straight win.
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida Gators baseball at Mississippi State Bulldogs Game 1 recap
Continue reading...
