Florida defeats Alabama in Game 3 of the SEC regular season finale.

In a game that carried implications beyond bragging rights, the Florida Gators delivered a thunderous statement on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide 8-3 in Game 3 of the SEC regular season finale. With postseason positioning on the line, Florida capitalized on a complete performance in front of a raucous crowd at Condron Ballpark to close out the regular season on a high note.

The victory not only gave the Gators the series win—two games to one—but also secured a crucial boost in RPI heading into the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Alabama. For a team that has battled through inconsistencies this season, Saturday’s performance was a reflection of resilience, execution, and timely contributions from both veteran leaders and emerging stars.

Florida wasted no time putting pressure on Alabama starter Jalen Buckner, who entered the contest with a 3.45 ERA and a reputation for early-inning command. After a leadoff walk and a single through the right side, cleanup hitter Cade Kurland drove a 2-1 fastball deep into the left-center gap, bringing home two runs and giving Florida an early 2-0 advantage.

The Gators’ aggressive baserunning and ability to make contact against Buckner’s off-speed pitches kept the Tide on their heels. Florida tacked on another run in the bottom of the second via a sacrifice fly by sophomore outfielder Michael Robertson, pushing the lead to 3-0.

Alabama, meanwhile, struggled to mount a consistent offensive attack against Florida starter Pierce Coppola. The 6-foot-8 lefty used his downhill plane and sharp slider to limit the Crimson Tide to just one hit over the first three innings.

To their credit, Alabama didn’t fold. In the top of the fourth, senior slugger Gage Miller delivered a towering solo home run to left field, igniting the Tide dugout and cutting the deficit to 3-1. Two batters later, Dominic Tamez laced a double down the left field line, eventually scoring on a two-out single by William Hamiter.

Suddenly, the score was 3-2, and Alabama had all the momentum.

But just as quickly, Florida snatched it back.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Gators executed a textbook two-out rally. A walk and a bloop single brought up junior third baseman Colby Shelton, who delivered in the clutch. He lined a two-run double into the right field corner, restoring a three-run cushion and reigniting the home crowd.

“It was a big moment for us,” Shelton said postgame. “We’ve had some ups and downs this year, but we know when we lock in, we can beat anybody in the country. That inning was a turning point.”

Pierce Coppola’s return to form has been one of the underappreciated developments for Florida in the second half of the season. After missing parts of last year with arm fatigue, the junior left-hander has been working his way back to top form, and Saturday may have been his most complete performance yet.

He went 6.1 innings, allowing just five hits and two earned runs while striking out seven. More impressively, he walked none and induced nine ground ball outs, showcasing pinpoint control and an effective changeup that kept Alabama hitters off-balance.

Florida’s bullpen followed suit, with Ryan Slater and Brandon Neely combining for 2.2 innings of one-run ball. Neely slammed the door in the ninth, striking out the side to seal the win in front of a packed house celebrating Senior Day.

The Gators’ offense featured contributions throughout the lineup. Colby Shelton’s 3-RBI day led the way, but he wasn’t alone.

• Cade Kurland: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 1 run scored
• Michael Robertson: 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 stolen base
• Luke Heyman: 1-for-3, 1 run, drew two walks
• Ty Evans: 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI

Kurland in particular looked dialed in, flashing his power and patience. The sophomore infielder has been a steady presence all season, and his ability to deliver in key moments was on full display.

“We didn’t want to end the regular season with a series loss,” Kurland said. “This league is brutal, and every game counts, so it feels good to get this one.”

For Alabama, the series loss was a frustrating end to what had been a promising stretch in SEC play. After taking Game 1 in dominant fashion, the Tide were outscored 15-5 over the final two games of the series.

Alabama head coach Rob Vaughn acknowledged the missed opportunities after the game.

“We had our chances in the middle innings, but credit to Florida—they made the plays and executed,” Vaughn said. “We’ve got to clean some things up defensively and get better at executing with runners on.”

The Tide left eight runners on base in Game 3 and grounded into two double plays. Defensively, an error in the sixth inning extended the frame and led to Florida’s sixth run, which proved to be the dagger.

With the win, Florida improved to 34-20 overall and 16-14 in SEC play, potentially locking up a top-eight seed in the SEC Tournament. More importantly, they likely solidified a regional hosting opportunity for the NCAA Tournament.

Alabama dropped to 32-22 (15-15 SEC), placing them squarely in the middle of the pack heading into Hoover. Though the Tide remain safely in the NCAA field, they’ll likely need a deep run in the SEC Tournament to earn a regional host bid.

For both teams, the road forward remains filled with opportunity—and peril.

• Florida heads into the SEC Tournament with momentum and renewed belief. They’ll likely face a team like South Carolina or Georgia in the opening round.
• Alabama must regroup quickly. Vaughn’s squad will lean on experienced arms like Ben Hess and Luke Holman in Hoover to reverse the late-season slide.

Regardless of what comes next, Saturday’s win was a reminder that Florida—when firing on all cylinders—is a dangerous team capable of beating anyone in the country.:

“This was the type of win you want heading into postseason baseball. We pitched well, played clean defense, and got timely hits. That’s the recipe.”

“We’ve been in some dogfights this year, and we’ll bounce back. Today wasn’t our best, but we know we can play with anybody.”

Florida’s victory in Game 3 of the SEC regular season finale served as a timely reminder of the team’s depth, grit, and postseason potential. In a league as loaded as the SEC, peaking at the right moment can make all the difference—and Florida appears to be doing just that.

With the SEC Tournament looming and national seeding still in flux, both the Gators and the Crimson Tide know the real season is just beginning. But for one day in Gainesville, Florida held the upper hand—and left no doubt in the process.