No. 10 Gators Take Down No. 17 Hurricanes in Series Opener

Friday, February 27

Coral Gables, Fla.

7 PM

Florida Gators

10-1

Miami

10-1

Florida

Miami FL

Brendan Lawson rounds the bases following his first-inning home run against the Hurricanes on Friday night at Mark Light Field in Coral Gables, Fla. / UAA Communications photo by Jordan Perez

No. 10 Gators Take Down No. 17 Hurricanes in Series Opener

Saturday, February 28, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Photo Gallery

Liam Peterson and Jackson Barberi combined to hold Miami to two runs while Brendan Lawson barreled three hits including a first-inning homer to hand the Hurricanes their first loss.

By: Sullivan Bortner

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – No. 10 Florida broke a tie ballgame with five runs in the eighth to put away No. 17 Miami in game one by a final score of 7-2 at Mark Light Field on Friday night.

Handing the Hurricanes (10-1) their first loss of the season, the Gators (10-1) now lead the all-time series against Miami at 137-136-1. The effort was led by shortstop Brendan Lawson (3-for-3), who notched three hits including a first-inning solo shot on top of two RBI and three runs scored. The Canadian sophomore has now driven in 14 runs in the last five games, featuring 12 RBI in the last three alone to sit at 21 RBI on the season.

Starting pitcher Liam Peterson set the tone on the hill, holding Miami to two runs in 5 2/3 innings while striking out eight batters. The tandem of Peterson and right-hander Jackson Barberi went the distance, as the latter closed it out with 3 1/3 scoreless relief frames.

The Gators struck first in the series opener, as Lawson hammered a 1-1 offering over the left-center field wall to open an early, 1-0 lead. The Hurricanes put the leadoff man on via a four-pitch walk in the home half, but Peterson rebounded to strike out the next three batters in order.

Pitching with a one-run edge, Peterson fanned two more Hurricanes on his way to a clean second inning. The junior righty picked up his sixth strikeout in the third, then picked off Dylan Dubovik at first base for the final out.

In the top of the fourth, Lawson and Surowiec led off with singles and advanced on a groundout by Karson Bowen. Cash Strayer capitalized, sending a sacrifice fly to deep left field to plate Lawson for a 2-0 advantage.

Peterson retired the side in order in the fourth before running into some trouble via back-to-back singles to begin the fifth. After a mound visit, Peterson recorded three-straight outs to strand two Hurricanes.

The Gators threatened again with a pair of baserunners in top-six, but Bowen lined into a double play back to the pitcher to end the frame. Miami took advantage in the bottom of the inning, scoring twice to tie the game at 2-2. With two outs, Derek Williams rolled an infield single to third base to drive in Jake Ogden, followed by an RBI single to left off the bat of Brylan West.

After recording the final out of the sixth, Barberi pitched a scoreless bottom of the seventh inning to keep the tie intact. The following half inning, rookie Jacob Kendall led off with a long home run over the right-field wall on a full count to give the Gators a 3-2 lead.

The top of the eighth did not end with Kendall's blast, as Kolt Myers reached second base on a botched pop-up to the Miami shortstop down the left-field line. Kyle Jones then walked and Lawson roped a 1-1 pitch through the right side for an RBI single to plate Myers. From there, Strayer worked a bases-loaded walk to force home Lawson and Blake Cyr hit a sacrifice fly to the warning track in center to score Surowiec. Capping off the frame, Caden McDonald produced a pinch-hit, RBI single to left for his first-career knock, scoring Bowen before Strayer was cut down at home.

Navigating around a leadoff walk, Barberi chucked another zero in the eighth to maintain the five-run lead. The sophomore remained on the hill for the ninth and allowed a lone, one-out single en route to closing the door for the series-opening victory.

Barberi (2-1) registered the win for the Orange & Blue behind 3 1/3 shutout frames of relief. He finished with two hits allowed, one walk and three strikeouts.

Peterson received a no-decision despite delivering a strong outing, tossing 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball. He was charged with six hits and one walk while striking out eight Hurricanes.

Miami starting pitcher AJ Ciscar (2-1) was saddled with his first loss of the campaign. The sophomore right-hander threw 7.0-plus innings with four runs (three earned) surrendered on five hits and six strikeouts.

NOTABLES

Florida reclaimed the all-time series lead vs. Miami at 137-136-1 for the first time since March 1-2 of last season.
- Florida's one-day lead in 2025 was its first since Feb. 28, 1969 (29-28).
Florida has won 10-straight games since its Opening Night loss.
The Gators are 17-4 across 21 games vs. in-state foes since 2025.
Peterson threw 5 2/3 innings of two run ball on six hits, one walk and eight strikeouts.
Peterson has fanned 20 batters against three walks while allowing just three runs over his last two starts spanning 11.0 innings.
Lawson opened the scoring with his fourth homer of the season in the top of the first.
Kendall gave UF a 3-2 lead in the eighth with his second career home run.
McDonald logged his first-career hit and RBI in a pinch-hit appearance in the eighth inning.
Lawson drove in two runs and now has 19 RBI on the season.
Lawson has now driven in 14 runs in the last five games, featuring 12 RBI in the last three alone.
Lawson produced his sixth multi-hit effort and third three-hit game of the campaign.
Barberi tied his career high with 3 1/3 innings pitched while winning his second game.
The Gators have won 27 of their last 33 regular-season games dating back to 2025.
Florida is 32-5 in regular-season, non-conference play dating back to last season.
Florida is now 137-136-1 all-time vs. Miami including 54-82 in Coral Gables.
The Gators are 44-19 overall and 19-9 on the road vs. Miami under Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan.
Florida has won 25 of the last 34 meetings with the Hurricanes.
Friday night's official attendance was 3,555.

FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O'SULLIVAN
On the gutsy win and the contributions on both sides of the baseball…
"Before I get into the game, what I told the players at the end of the game, the thing I was most proud of is we just kept our composure. The dugout was calm. There was no panic, especially when Miami tied the game up at two. And I thought our approach was really good. I thought we had some really good at bats all night. Obviously, Lawson had an incredible night at the plate. Made a great play there to end the ballgame. Ethan made a heck of a play to his left. Kolt Myers made a heck of a play to his right. So, we played great defense on a field some of these guys have never played on. But getting back to the pitching, we couldn't have asked for anything better, other than a check-swing double down the right-field line and then obviously with the swinging bunt down the third-base line. [Peterson] was just outstanding. And Jackson Barberi, the same thing. So, really pleased with how we played. I thought we ran the bases well again. But, the composure and the confidence, and the focus, and not getting caught up in an away game that was sold out for Miami. That's probably the most proud I am of the club."

On Kendall battling Ciscar to produce the go-ahead home run…
"Ciscar did a really good job tonight of mixing his pitches. I don't think he ever doubled up on anything. Obviously, the sinker is a really good pitch, especially to those right-handers. He threw some really good cutters and some changeups to our lefties. And obviously, that was a huge, huge at bat for Kendall, and getting that 3-2 off-speed pitch and giving us back the lead after they tied it up was a huge momentum boost for us."

UP NEXT
The Gators and Hurricanes face off again in game two, scheduled for Saturday at 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.