GATORS DOWN LSU 1-0 IN FRIDAY GAME

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (LSU AD)– LSU right-hander Alex Lange limited Florida to just one run in eight innings of work Friday night, but the Gators edged the Tigers, 1-0, at McKethan Stadium.

Eleventh-ranked Florida improved to 14-8 overall and 1-3 in the SEC, while fourth-ranked LSU dropped to 17-6 overall and 3-1 in league games.

Game 2 of the series will start at 2 p.m. CT on Saturday, and it will be televised by ESPN2. The game will be carried on affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network, and the broadcast may also be heard at www.lsusports.net/live.

Saturday’s game may also be viewed online at WatchESPN.com and the Watch ESPN app.

Lange (3-2) was charged with the loss on Friday, though he threw 107 pitches and limited Florida to one run on six hits in eight innings with one walk and seven strikeouts.

Florida starter Alex Faedo (4-1) earned the win, as he fired seven scoreless innings and scattered seven hits with no walks and seven strikeouts.

“We just came up a little bit short tonight,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “It was a great game. Two of the best pitchers in the country going after it.”

Florida relievers Michael Byrne, Andrew Baker and Tyler Dyson combined to keep LSU off of the scoreboard over the final two innings. Dyson picked up his second save of the season after giving up a leadoff walk in the ninth and then striking out three straight LSU hitters.

Florida second baseman Deacon Liput was 3-for-4 on the night and scored the game’s only run.

The Gators broke a 0-0 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning when Liput doubled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by third baseman Jonathan India and scored on a sacrifice fly by first baseman JJ Schwarz.

LSU threatened to tie the game in the top of the ninth inning. Third baseman Josh Smith led off with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch by Dyson, but Dyson struck out centerfielder Zach Watson, first baseman Jake Slaughter and designated hitter Brennan Breaux to end the game.

“We had some good swings against Faedo,” Mainieri said. “We had opportunities, we just couldn’t get the clutch one when we had runners in scoring position. Our kids were competing extremely hard against some really good arms. It’s tough to lose a game like that, but we’ll put it behind us and look forward to Game 2 tomorrow.”