<p>HOOVER, Ala. — Jacob Young homered, Tommy Mace struck out eight in five innings and No. 6 seed Florida beat 11th-seeded Kentucky 4-1 on Tuesday in the first game of the SEC Tournament.</p>
<p>Florida (36-19) snapped a four-game losing streak to advance to play No. 3 seed Mississippi State on Wednesday. Kentucky (29-23) was eliminated from the tournament.</p>
<p>Florida first baseman Kendrick Calilao hit a deep shot to center with the bases loaded in the eighth, but Cam Hill made a catch against the wall to end the inning. </p>
<p>Kentucky had runners at second and third with one out in the ninth but Jacob Plastiak struck out and Oraj Anu grounded out for Jack Leftwich’s fifth save. </p>
<p>Mace (6-1), on short rest, gave up seven hits and one run. Kentucky starter Sean Harney (3-2) went 4 1/3 innings. allowing four hits and one earned run.</p>
<p>Young went deep to left on the first pitch of the bottom half of the first inning, and Sterlin Thompson made it 2-0 with an RBI single to left.</p>
