GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Arkansas’ shuffled lineup and a new Friday starting pitcher delivered for a team in desperation mode.

The top four hitters in the lineup batted in essentially brand new spots, but the story was Dallas Keuchel’s impressive outing on the mound in the Razorbacks’ 2-1 victory over No. 25 Florida before 3, 523 at McKethan Stadium.

Jeff Nutt’s home run leading off the eighth broke a 1-1 tie, and Keuchel gutted it out into the ninth inning to secure a badly needed victory over the Gators, who are leading the SEC Eastern Division. Arkansas (18-14, 4-8 ) lost its first four conference series and hadn’t won a conference series opener since beating Georgia 5-1 on March 14. When the ninth began, Keuchel (3-1 ) seemed to be losing the groove he had found during the early innings. Keuchel had already thrown 108 pitches and made frequent tosses to first in an effort to keep the Gators’ runners honest. “[Pitching coach Dave ] Jorn asked me if I had anything left in the tank, and I lied to him and said yeah,” Keuchel said. He bore down and got one strikeout after yielding a leadoff double, then gave way to fellow left-hander Stephen Richards, who picked up the final two outs. Keuchel threw 117 pitches, struck out 2 and allowed 6 hits

1 in a career-long 8 / 3 innings.

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“We’re battling and it hadn’t been going our way, but I think tonight everybody thought, ‘Hey, we’re winning this game, ’” third baseman Logan Forsythe said. “Dallas had the confidence, and when Richards came in he was going to get Dallas the win, and that was big.”

Keuchel became the second Razorback to start a Friday night SEC game this season after struggling Cliff Springston started the first game of the previous four series. Keuchel mostly showed the command he can’t afford to be without since the sophomore left-hander is not a flame-thrower. He consistently pitched ahead in the count until showing signs of fatigue. He didn’t give up his first walk until the seventh, then walked two in the eighth — tying his career high with three — when the Gators (23-11, 8-5 ) threatened to tie or take the lead.

But Keuchel made key pitches when needed, and the Razorbacks’ defense turned three double plays behind him.

“Obviously getting ahead of guys is a big plus for any pitcher,” said Keuchel, who took the loss in an eight-inning complete game at LSU on March 23. “In the early stages of the game I was getting them to chase my pitch instead of me having to throw a good pitch for them to hit.”

In an effort to shake up what has been an inconsistent offense of late, Van Horn inserted Forsythe into the leadoff spot for the first time in his career. Forsythe played his part to perfection, working two walks, scoring his team’s first run and opening the ninth with a double, although he was stranded there.

“I’m trying to get some of the tougher, pesky outs up there, and we thought, ‘Let’s just move Logan up there,’” Van Horn said. “He has that type of approach at the plate. Until he starts banging it around, I think we ought to just leave him there and let him get one extra at-bat.”

Sean Jones, who upon his return to action last month seemed set at the No. 1 spot, batted second. Ben Tschepikow, who drove in the Razorbacks ’ first run, hadn’t hit in the third spot in his career before Friday, and freshman Brett Eibner was in the four hole for only the second time this season.

Nutt, who hit fifth, had the big at-bat for the Razorbacks when the senior drove a 1-0 pitch from Florida reliever Josh Edmondson (3-2 ) over the Arkansas bullpen in right-center for the lead.

Nutt, a catcher who started at designated hitter Friday, was impressed by Keuchel.

“Dallas threw the best I’ve ever seen him throw,” Nutt said. “He hit spots. Any time your pitcher does that, it’s going to be a good night.”