Troy Downs Florida to Create Winner-Take-All Regional Title Game on Monday

Troy used a nine-run sixth inning to take a win over Florida and force a winner-take-all Gainesville Regional title game on Monday.

Troy used a nine-run sixth inning to take a win over Florida and force a winner-take-all Gainesville Regional title game on Monday. | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- The Florida Gators fell on Sunday for the first time in the 2026 Gainesville Regional with a 16-11 loss to Troy, creating a winner-take-all title game on Monday.

Florida pitcher Liam Peterson suffered the loss, giving up 10 hits and nine earned runs in five innings, while relievers Ernesto Lugo-Canchola, Schyler Sandford and Billy Barlow struggled afterwards as Troy plated nine runs in the sixth inning.

"Somebody's got to step up," head coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "Hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded, walk in a guy, give up consecutive hit after hit after hit with the bases loaded. We just couldn't do much. Kind of like an avalanche. Just one mistake after another."

First pitch for Monday's game will be shortly after 6 p.m.

Here is how Troy took a win over the Gators.

Lineups

Florida

1. CF Kyle Jones
2. SS Brendan Lawson
3. LF Blake Cyr
4. 3B Ethan Surowiec
5. DH Caden McDonald
6. C Karson Bowen
7. 1B Landon Stripling
8. 2B Cade Kurland
9. RF Hayden Yost

• Pitcher: RHP Liam Peterson (3-5, 3.86 ERA)

Troy

1. SS Aaron Piasecki
2. 3B Josh Pyne
3. 1B Blake Cavill
4. C Jimmy Janicki
5. CF Steven Meier
6. LF Drew Nelson
7. 2B Sean Darnell
8. DH Jabe Boroff
9. RF Houston Markham

• Pitcher: RHP Cooper Eillingworth (1-4, 5.98 ERA)

T1: Florida Batting

• Kyle Jones ground out to SS. 1 out.
• Brendan Lawson strikeout swinging. 2 outs.
• Blake Cyr hit by pitch.
• Ethan Surowiec ground out to SS, Cyr advances to second on passed ball. End of frame.

Florida 0, Troy 0

B1: Troy Batting

• Aaron Piasecki ground out to 2B. 1 out.
• Josh Pyne fly out to RF. 2 outs.
• Blake Cavill infield single.
• Jimmy Janicki 2-RBI home run, Cavill scores. Troy 2, Florida 0
• Steven Meier ground out to 2B. End of inning.

Troy 2, Florida 0

T2: Florida Batting

• Caden McDonald ground out to SS. 1 out.
• Karson Bowen infield single.
• Landon Stripling base hit to RF, Bowen advances to 2B.
• Cade Kurland base hit, Bowen advances to 3B, Stripling safe at 2B on dropped ball.
• Hayden Yost pop out to 1B. 2 outs.
• Kyle Jones 2-RBI base hit, Bowen scores, Stripling scores, Kurland to 3B. Florida 2, Troy 2
• Brendan Lawson ground out to 1B. End of frame.

Florida 2, Troy 2

B2: Troy Batting

• Drew Nelson ground out to 1B. 1 out.
• Sean Darnell strikeout swinging. 2 outs.
• Jabe Boroff ground out to 3B. End of inning.

Florida 2, Troy 2

T3: Florida Batting

• Blake Cyr strikeout swinging. 1 out.
• Ethan Surowiec flyout to RF. 2 outs.
• Caden McDonald flyout to RF. End of frame.

Florida 2, Troy 2

B3: Troy Batting

• Houston Markham solo home run. Troy 3, Florida 2
• Aaron Piasecki base hit.
• Josh Pyne base hit, Piasecki to 2B.
• Blake Cavill infield fly out to SS. 1 out.
• Jimmy Janicki 3-RBI home run, Piasecki scores, Pyne scores. Troy 6, Florida 2
• Steven Meier strikeout swinging. 2 outs.
• Drew Nelson strikeout swinging. End of inning.

Troy 6, Florida 2

T4: Florida Batting

• Karson Bowen line out to SS. 1 out.
• Landon Stripling fly out to CF. 2 outs.
• Cade Kurland ground out to 3B. End of frame.

Troy 6, Florida 2

B4: Troy Batting

• Sean Darnell strikeout swinging. 1 out.
• Jabe Boroff ground out to SS. 2 outs.
• Houston Markham double to LF.
• Aaron Piasecki bunt, safe at first, Markham advances to 3B.
• Josh Pyne fly out to CF. End of inning.

Troy 6, Florida 2

T5: Florida Batting

• Hayden Yost ground out to 2B. 1 out.
• Kyle Jones base hit.
• Brendan Lawson 2-RBI home run, Jones scores. Troy 6, Florida 4
• Blake Cyr strikeout looking. 2 outs.
• Ethan Surowiec strikeout looking. End of frame.

Troy 6, Florida 4

B5: Troy Batting

• Blake Cavill solo home run. Troy 7, Florida 4
• Jimmy Janicki fly out to RF. 1 out.
• Steven Meier fly out to LF. 2 outs.
• Drew Nelson fly out to LF. End of inning.

Troy 7, Florida 4

T6: Florida Batting

• Caden McDonald solo home run. Troy 7, Florida 5
• Karson Bowen pop out to 3B. 1 out.
• Landon Stripling pop out to SS. 2 outs.
• Cade Kurland HBP.
• Hayden Yost strikeout looking. End of frame.

Troy 7, Florida 5

B6: Troy Batting

• Sean Darnell walk.
• Jabe Boroff base hit, Darnell advances to 2B. Ernesto Lugo-Canchola in to pitch for Liam Peterson (5.0 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 7 ER, BB, 4 K)
• Houston Markham base hit, Darnell advances to 3B, Boroff advances to 2B.
• Aaron Piasecki RBI base hit, Darnell scores, Boroff advances to 3B, Markham advances to 2B. Schuyler Sandford in to pitch for Lugo-Canchola (0.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K) Troy 8, Florida 5
• Josh Pyne pop out to SS. 1 out.
• Blake Cavill walk, Boroff scores, Markham advances to 3B, Piasecki advances to 2B. Troy 9, Florida 5
• Jimmy Janicki HBP, Markham scores, Piasecki advances to 3B, Cavill advances to 2B. Troy 10, Florida 5
• Steven Meier RBI base hit, Piasecki scores, Cavill advances to 3B, Janicki advances to 2B. Billy Barlow in to pitch for Sandford (0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, BB, 0 K). Troy 11, Florida 5
• Drew Nelson line out to SS. 2 outs.
• Sean Darnell walk, Cavill scores, Janicki advances to 3B, Meier advances to 2B. Troy 12, Florida 5
• Jabe Boroff grand slam, Janicki scores, Meier scores, Darnell scores. Troy 16, Florida 5
• Houston Markham base hit.
• Aaron Piesecki base hit, Markham advances to 2B.
• Josh Pyne strike out swinging. End of inning.

Troy 16, Florida 5

T7: Florida Batting

Dylan Alonso in to pitch for Cooper Ellingworth (6.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 5 K)

• Kyle Jones walk.
• Brendan Lawson strikeout looking. 1 out.
• Blake Cyr pop out to 2B. 2 outs.
• Ethan Surowiec ground out to SS, Kyle Jones advances to 2B on passed ball. End of frame.

Troy 16, Florida 5

B7: Troy Batting

• Blake Cavill fly out LF. 1 out.
• Jimmy Janicki strike out swinging. 2 outs.
• Steven Meier strike out swinging. End of inning.

Troy 16, Florida 5

T8: Florida Batting

• Caden McDonald walk.
• Karson Bowen walk, McDonald advances to 2B. Matt Dill in to pitch for Alonso (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 1 K).
• Landon Stripling base hit, McDonald advances to 3B, Bowen advances to 2B.
• Cade Kurland grand slam, McDonald scores, Bowen scores, Stripling scores. Troy 16, Florida 9
• Hayden Yost walk.
• Kyle Jones strikeout looking. 1 out.
• Brendan Lawson fly out to LF. 2 outs.
• Blake Cyr strike out swinging. End of frame.

Troy 16, Florida 9

B8: Troy Batting

• Drew Nelson fly out to CF. 1 out.
• Sean Darnell ground out to SS. 2 outs.
• Jabe Boroff base hit.
• Houston Markham fly out to CF. 3 outs.

Troy 16, Florida 9

T9: Florida Batting

• Ethan Surowiec base hit.
• Caden McDonald 2-RBI home run, Surowiec scores. Troy 16, Florida 11
• Karson Bowen ground out to 2B. 1 out.
• Landon Stripling fly out to LF. 2 outs.
• Cade Kurland pop out to SS. End of game.

FINAL: Troy 16, Florida 11

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