Tuesday night's midweek matchup between Florida and Bethune-Cookman turned from a tense battle into a lopsided affair, as the Wildcats erupted for seven runs in the seventh inning to hand the Gators a tough 13-7 loss.

The game was a back-and-forth affair for the first six frames, with Florida's offense consistently answering Bethune-Cookman's scoring. Cade Kurland delivered a clutch two-run double in the sixth to knot the game at 5-5, while Blake Cyr contributed three hits and Brendan Lawson added an RBI double.

However, the game unraveled for Florida in the decisive seventh. A combination of pitching struggles and a costly error opened the floodgates for Bethune-Cookman, who sent 11 batters to the plate. Three Gator relievers—Eli Blair, Schuyler Sandford, and Cooper Walls—combined to surrender five hits and three free passes, allowing the Wildcats to break the game wide open.

Despite the rough inning, there was a silver lining in Sandford's performance. After the seventh-inning barrage, he retired all six batters he faced over the final two frames, striking out five.

With no time to dwell, the Gators must quickly regroup for a crucial SEC series. The Auburn Tigers arrive in Gainesville on Thursday, presenting an immediate opportunity for Florida to bounce back and refocus on conference play.