JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — A dominant pitching performance by three Florida hurlers and a decisive seventh-inning rally propelled the Gators to a 5-0 victory over the Florida State Seminoles in a top-10 college baseball showdown Tuesday afternoon at 121 Financial Ballpark.

The Gators (20-6) swept the season series from their in-state rivals, having also won 6-3 in Gainesville on March 10, and handed the Seminoles (19-5) their first shutout loss of the season.

The game’s most critical sequence came in the bottom of the seventh inning, transforming a tense 1-0 pitchers’ duel into a comfortable Florida lead. The Gators, held to just two hits through six innings by Florida State starter Cooper Whited and reliever Cole Stokes, broke the game open with patience and timely hitting.

The inning began with Colby Myers being hit by a pitch, stealing second, and advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt by K. Jones. After an intentional walk to Lawson and a walk to Kurland loaded the bases, Stokes walked Bowen to force in a run. Reliever O’Leary entered but was immediately greeted by Ethan Surowiec, who singled through the left side to score Lawson. Blake Cyr then delivered the crushing blow, a two-run single up the middle that scored Bowen and Kurland, capping a four-run outburst that gave Florida a 5-0 advantage.

That rally rendered moot an otherwise stellar start by Florida State’s Whited, who did not allow a hit over 3 2/3 innings, striking out four. However, he was charged with one unearned run after his departure. Stokes (0-1) took the loss, surrendering four earned runs in 2 2/3 innings of relief.

The offensive support was more than enough for a relentless Florida pitching staff that combined for 16 strikeouts while allowing only three hits. Starter Russell Sandefer set the tone, throwing three scoreless innings with one hit and four strikeouts, rebounding strongly from a tough outing against Alabama last week. Luke McNeillie followed with three innings of two-hit ball, striking out six. Closer Jackson Barberi was overpowering in the final three frames, allowing just one hit and striking out six to seal the shutout.

Florida scored its first run in the second inning without the benefit of a hit. Surowiec tripled and came home on a sacrifice bunt by Cash Strayer that resulted in a fielder’s choice and an RBI, capitalizing on an early Seminoles error.

Florida State’s offense, which entered averaging over nine runs per game, was stifled all evening. The Seminoles put a runner in scoring position only twice. Max Stuetzer doubled in the fifth but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. In the sixth, Jaime Paulino Jr. tripled with two outs, but McNeillie induced an inning-ending fielder’s choice to escape the threat. They loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth against Barberi, but a strikeout ended the game.

Surowiec and Cyr led Florida’s five-hit attack, each going 2 for 4, with Cyr driving in two runs. Strayer added an RBI.

The win improves Florida’s record to 20-6 as they prepare to open a Southeastern Conference series at Arkansas on Friday. Florida State, now 19-5, will host Duke to begin Atlantic Coast Conference play on Friday. The intrastate rivals are scheduled to meet again in Tallahassee on April 7.