Gators late rally falls short in SEC opener

University of Florida catcher Brady Smith during game action against Long Beach State on opening weekend / Gator Country photo by David BowieThe Florida Gators charged back in the ninth inning but fell 6-5 in the 2019 SEC opener — a fantastic overall baseball game by both teams.

This is the kind of game you expect on Friday nights in the SEC. Florida went with sophomore Tommy Mace who brought in a 4-0 record against Ethan Small, who brought in 40 strikeouts in 24 innings.

It was what you’d expect. Mace sat down the Diamond Dawgs on just five pitches in the first inning. Small responded with a perfect frame of his own. Mace would retire the first six batters he faced and carried a no hitter…