GAINESVILLE (Interstat) — Jaxon Jelkin took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and Kentucky held off a late Florida rally to earn a 4-2 victory Saturday afternoon at Alfred A. McKethan Stadium, evening the Southeastern Conference series after the Gators won the opener 7-6 on Friday.

Jelkin, a right-hander for the Wildcats, dominated through 6 2/3 innings, striking out 12 while allowing no hits. He finished with a line of 8 2/3 innings, zero hits, two earned runs and 12 strikeouts, leaving after surrendering a one-out single in the ninth. Kentucky improved to 30-17 overall and 10-10 in SEC play. Florida dropped to 33-18 and 11-9.

The Wildcats struck quickly in the top of the first after a weather delay pushed the first pitch to 8:15 p.m. Jack Tharnish singled up the middle, and Tyler Bell doubled to right field, moving Tharnish to third. Luke Lawrence then singled to right center, driving in both runners for a 2-0 lead. Lawrence was later picked off first to end the inning, but Kentucky had all the offense it would need.

Kentucky added a run in the fourth. Lawrence singled again, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on Braxton Van Cleave’s fielder’s choice. The Wildcats made it 4-0 in the fifth when Caeden Cloud homered to left field, a solo shot off Florida starter Liam Peterson.

Peterson worked 7 2/3 innings, allowing eight hits and four earned runs while striking out seven. He left after giving up a one-out single to Bell in the eighth. Ernesto LugoCanchola and Ricky Reeth combined for 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, striking out three.

Florida’s offense remained silent until the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Brendan Lawson broke up Jelkin’s no-hit bid with a solo home run to right field, cutting the deficit to 4-1. Lawson finished 2 for 4 with a homer and an RBI.

The Gators mounted a threat in the ninth. After a flyout, Justin Surowiec singled, and Ashton McDonald walked. Mason Owen singled through the right side to load the bases. Grant Stripling then flied out to center field, deep enough to score Surowiec and make it 4-2. Brody Strayer singled to load the bases again, but Hayden Yost popped out to shortstop to end the game.

Jelkin exited after Owen’s single, having thrown 118 pitches. The Wildcats’ bullpen closed the door.

Luke Lawrence led Kentucky’s nine-hit attack with two hits and two RBIs. Tyler Bell also had two hits. For Florida, Lawson provided the only extra-base hit among the Gators’ seven hits.

The series concludes Sunday afternoon. Kentucky travels to face Northern Kentucky on Tuesday before hosting Arkansas for a three-game series starting Thursday. Florida visits LSU for a three-game set beginning Thursday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Florida 5, Kentucky 4. Interstat’s ELO system gave Florida a 55.00 percent probability to win. Florida was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5.