GAINESVILLE, Fla. - North Florida baseball rallied from four runs down to tie the game, but fell, 7-6, to No. 8 Florida on a walk-off Wednesday from Condron Ballpark.

Trailing 6-2 in the ninth, Nick Monile and Carter White worked back-to-back walks for North Florida (6-3). Connor Moore singled to load the bases. With three runners on, Jabin Bates was hit by a pitch which forced home Monile from third. Following two straight outs, Seth Alford cracked a three-run double to tie the game at six in the ninth.

Locked in a 6-6 tie, Florida's (9-0) Brendan Lawson singled with one out. Cade Kurland doubled and Landon Stripling was intentionally walked to load the bases. The Gators won the game a few pitches later on a walk-off wild pitch to improve to 9-0 on the season

Florida struck first in the bottom of the first. Hayden Yost doubled to lead off the inning. Two batters later, Colby Shelton smacked an RBI single and put UF ahead 1-0.

Leading 1-0, The Gators bats stayed hot in the fourth. Following a strikeout, Lawson laced a single. Kurland also singled and pushed Lawson to third. With runners at the corners, Stripling ripped an RBI single. With runners at first second, Blake Cyr hit an infield single. The throw to first was off-target and it allowed Kurland to score, giving Florida a 3-0 advantage.

North Florida rallied in the seventh. Drew Leinenbach and Monile ripped back-to-back singles. With runners at first and third, White hit a sacrifice fly to bring home the first run of the game for UNF. Moore singled to once again put runners at first and third. With two runners on, Jabin Bates cracked an RBI single to make it 3-2. 

The Gators responded quickly. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Bobby Boser reached on a dropped popup and advanced to second on the same play. With a runner in scoring position, Shelton reached on a throwing error which allowed Boser to score from second. Leading 4-2, Brody Donay (5) clobbered a two-run home run as Florida went up by four. 

Pitchers of Record
Win: Caden McDonald (1-0) 
Loss: Kaden Humphrey (0-1)

Line Scores
UNF | 6 R, 9 H, 3 E, 11 LOB
UF | 7 R, 14 H, 0 E, 11 LOB

Statistical Leaders
UF
Brody Donay | 1-3, HR, 2 RBI, R, 2 HBP
Landon Stripling | 1-3, RBI, 2 BB
Cade Kurland | 3-5, 2B, R

UNF
Seth Alford | 1-1, 2B, 3 RBI, SB
Jabin Bates | 2-4, 2 RBI, R, HBP
Brandon Adams | 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K

UP NEXT
North Florida returns to Jacksonville for a three-game weekend series against Ball State starting Feb. 28. North Florida will not broadcast the series but updates will be made through live stats, as well as on X/Twitter at @OspreyBSB and Instagram at @OspreysBSB.