No. 17 Miami undone by five-run eighth inning in 7-2 series-opening loss to No. 10 Florida

Florida strikes early, then breaks a tie with a decisive eighth inning in Coral Gables

No. 17 Miami’s first loss of the season came Friday night at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field, where No. 10 Florida pulled away late for a 7-2 win in the opener of a three-game rivalry series.

After seven innings of tightly contested baseball, the game turned in the top of the eighth. Florida sent multiple runners to base and scored five times, transforming a 2-2 tie into a five-run advantage that held through the final outs.

How the game unfolded

Florida opened the scoring immediately. In the first inning, Brendan Lawson hit a solo home run to give the Gators a 1-0 lead. Florida added another run in the fourth, keeping Miami’s offense quiet through the early portion of the night.

Miami’s breakthrough came in the sixth inning and was built on two early baserunners. Jake Ogden doubled down the right-field line, and Michael Torres followed with a single that moved Ogden to third. After Florida recorded two strikeouts, Derek Williams delivered an RBI single that scored Ogden. Brylan West then added a single to bring home the tying run, leveling the game at 2-2.

Miami tied the game in the sixth after being held to two hits through the first five innings.

The decisive eighth: power, traffic, and a run of execution

Florida regained control in the eighth inning with a five-run surge. The inning included a solo home run, two RBI singles, a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly. Miami used multiple arms in an effort to stop the rally, but Florida continued to extend at-bats and convert opportunities.

Miami right-hander AJ Ciscar was charged with the loss despite working seven innings. He allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits, struck out six and did not issue a walk. For Florida, reliever Jackson Barberi earned the win with 3 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits while walking one and striking out three.

Key facts at a glance

• Final score: Florida 7, Miami 2
• Turning point: Florida’s five-run eighth inning after the game was tied 2-2
• Early damage: Brendan Lawson’s first-inning solo home run
• Miami’s tying sequence: Ogden double, Torres single, RBI single by Derek Williams, RBI single by Brylan West (sixth inning)

What’s next

The series continues Saturday, Feb. 28, with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. ET in Coral Gables. Miami enters the second game needing to even the series after Florida’s late-inning separation in the opener.