Florida Atlantic junior second baseman Stephen Kerr led off the game in an ideal way against the consensus No. 1 ranked University of Florida Gators, taking the game’s second pitch over the left field wall for a lead-off home run.

However, the No. 19 Owls (15-4) were unable to score another run over the course of the next 27 outs, falling to the Gators 2-1 in Gainesville, Florida.

The Gators (22-1) scored their only two runs of the game in the second inning when freshman left fielder Nelson Maldonado tripled off Owls redshirt sophomore starting pitcher David McKay. Though there was only one runner on base, Maldonado scored on an error by junior shortstop CJ Chatham. The run was unearned, meaning without the error only one run would have scored in the inning.

McKay pitched five innings for FAU after throwing a total of three innings in his two prior starts combined.

He was relieved by senior Robbie Coursel, junior Colyn O’Connell and redshirt senior Devon Carr, each of whom threw a scoreless inning. It marked the first time all season that the Gators were held under three runs during a game.

FAU out-hit Florida, 5-4, but left seven runners on base, four of which were stranded in scoring position.

Senior right fielder Brett Lashley was the only Owl to record two hits. He finished 2-for-4 on the night.

The loss marks the Owls’ third straight to the Gators and eighth in their last nine matchups.

FAU will next host the University of Alabama at Birmingham for a three-game series which will begin on Thursday, March 24, at 6:30 p.m.

Brendan Feeney is the sports editor of the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or contact him on Twitter.