The LSU Tigers and the Florida Gators (43-10, 18-9 SEC) went back and forth all night on Friday, but LSU walked away with a 5-4 win over the top-ranked Gators.
The Gators got on the board first in the top of the second with a bunt by Dalton Guthrie that would allow Vasquez to reach home to get the early 1-0 lead.
The Tigers responded in the bottom of the third when Jake Farley singled up the middle to get Cole Freeman to score. LSU would take the lead in the bottom of the fifth when Jordan Romero grounded out to shortstop and that allowed Antoine Duplantis to scamper home.
But the Gators would respond in the top of the sixth with a solo shot to left field to tie things up again. But LSU would get the lead right back in the bottom half of the inning with a pair of runs from Freeman and Duplantis.
Nelson Maldonado would tie it right back up in the top of the seventh with a two run single to right field. The Tigers got the win thanks to a Kramer Robertson single to left field to send Freeman home.
Russell Reynolds improved to 3-0 on the year allowing two runs off of two hits, walked one, and struck out one in two innings of work. Hunter Newman got his sixth save of the season striking out one in one inning of work.
The Tigers (38-16, 18-10 SEC) will try to win the series when they resume the first game of the series with first pitch at 11 am. The final game of the series will take place after that and will be a seven inning matchup.
-Clint Domingue