Florida baseball will look to continue its stellar play at home when it hosts Texas Tech on Saturday at Condron Family Ballpark in the Gainesville Regional (6 p.m., ESPN plus)
The Gators (45-14) improved to 31-6 at home on the season with a 3-0 win over four-seed Florida A&M to open regional play. Josh Rivera provided the early offense with a two-run homer in the first inning for his 16th the season, setting a school record for homers for a UF shortstop. Freshman Luke Heyman added an RBI single in the eighth.
Right-hander Brandon Sproat (7-3, 4.71 ERA) will start for the Gators. Sproat is coming off an outing in which he allowed two runs on seven hits in 6 innings in a no-decision against Vanderbilt.
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Texas Tech (40-21) advanced with a 3-2 win over Connecticut on Friday afternoon. In the last meeting between the two schools, Florida beat Texas Tech 9-6 on June 21, 2018 in the College World Series.
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8:54 | Texas Tech holds on for win
Texas Tech holds on for a 5-4 win over Florida. Wyatt Langford reaches as the tying run with two outs for the Gators on an infield single, but Jac Caglianone pops out to third to end the game.
8:36 | Kash puts Texas Tech back ahead
Gavin Kash puts Texas Tech back ahead. A two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the 8th give the Red Raiders a 5-3 lead on Florida in the bottom of the 8th.
8:24 | Texas Tech coach ejected
Texas Tech first base coach Eric Gutierrez was ejected by home plate umpire Chris Griffith for aguing a controverial third strike call. With the bases loaded and two outs, Texas Tech third baseman Kevin Bazzell took a borderline called third strike on an inside fastball from Florida lefty reliever Phillip Abner, who worked out of the jam. The score remained tied at 3. A walk would have given the Red Raiders a 4-3 lead.
7:38 | Caglianone ties it up
After Wyatt Langford walked to lead off the sixth inning, Texas Tech turned to lefty Ryan Free out of the bullpen. Florida first baseman Jac Caglianone greeted Free by belting a two-run opposite field homer to left, tying the score at 3.
7:29 | Texas Tech tacks on another run
Texas Tech adds another run on a solo home run by Gavin Kash to lead off the bottom of the fifth. Texas Tech 3, Gators 1 end 5th.
7:16 | Gators waste scoring chance
Florida loaded the bases with one out in the fifth inning, but Cade Kurland grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning. Texas Tech 2, Gators 1 mid 5th.
7:05 | Texas Tech answers
Texas Tech responds in the bottom of the fourth, taking a 2-1 lead. Kevin Bazzell walked with one out in the fourth for the Red Raiders, then scored on a two-run homer by second baseman Austin Green, who lofted a 3-2 pitch from Florida starter Brandon Sproat over the right field fence. Texas Tech 2, Florida 1 end 4th.
6:54 | Gators strike first
Florida takes a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth. Wyatt Langford leads off with a ground rule double to right, moves to third on an error by Texas Tech first baseman Gavin Kash on a grounder to first, then scores on a Josh Rivera sac fly.
6:44 | Pitcher's duel so far
Florida and Texas Tech remain scoreless at the end of the third. Texas Tech starter Kyle Robinson has held Florida without a hit and walked one in three scoreless innings. Brandon Sproat has thrown three scoreless innings with one hit allowed and four strikeouts.
5:49 | Florida the visitors, sort of
The Gators will be the visiting team (in terms of batting order) anyway, in its Gainesville Regional matchup tonight against Texas Tech. The reason. Per NCAA rules, because the Gators batted as the home team in Friday's 3-0 win against Florida A&M and Texas Tech batted as the road team in its 3-2 win against Connecticut, the roles are now reversed. Texas Tech in its home white jerseys with white pants, while Florida is in its blue jerseys with white pants. Florida is still in its home dugout down the first base line despite being the visiting team.
5:40 p.m. | Texas Tech lineup
Texas Tech lineup vs. Florida: Hester LF, Harrelson CF, Bazzell 3B, White DH, Green 2B, Vooletich RF, Kash 1B, Maxcey C, Burns SS. SP: Robinson
5:39 p.m. | Florida lineup
Florida lineup vs Texas Tech: Kurland 2B, Langford LF, Caglianone 1B, Rivera SS, Riopelle C, Heyman DH, Shelnut RF, Halter 3B, Robertson CF. SP Sproat
