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Almost immediately following Hurston Waldrep’s ten pitch first inning, the Gainesville skies opened up. Despite a heavy falling rain, play continued into the bottom of the frame, for a short bit, anyway.
With a 3-2 count to Florida’s leadoff hitter, Cade Kurland, umpire Christopher Griffith placed the game in a delay as players scrambled to get the tarp over the infield.
Both head coaches were furious about the bottom half of the inning being played before the delay. As a result of the one hour and sixteen minute delay, Florida was forced to go to the bullpen while the Commodores stuck to their original script.
The Gators topped Vanderbilt 6-2 to claim the series and move into a tie for first place in the SEC East.
Florida got on the scoreboard first as freshman Kurland crushed a solo homer to the visiting bullpen beyond the left field wall in the third inning.
In the top of the fifth, Vandy evened the score on RJ Austin’s leadoff, solo homer.
The Gators didn’t let the game stay even for long, though. In the bottom of the frame, a pair of singles by Luke Heyman and Deric Fabian (bunt single) followed by a sacrifice bunt by Michael Robertson put a pair of runners in scoring position. Kurland was hit by a pitch for the 16th time to load the bases for Wyatt Langford. Langford roped a shot to center that scored two runs to open up a 3-1 lead. A sacrifice fly from Jac Caglianone increased the advantage to 4-1 before Josh Rivera singled home Langford to make it 5-1.
Florida picked up an insurance run in the sixth as Kurland singled up the middle to plate Fabian.
Vanderbilt closed the gap to four runs in the eighth on a fielder’s choice and error by Josh Rivera.
Florida’s pitching staff was impressive. Ryan Slater entered in the second inning and tossed four innings allowing just one run. Philip Abner followed by throwing 2.1 innings before Brandon Neely recorded the final five outs to close out the win.
On Deck:
Florida and Vanderbilt will complete the series Sunday at 1:00 PM. Head coach Kevin O’Sullivan confirmed that Waldrep will start the finale.
The Florida Gators opened an important SEC series against the No. 5 Vanderbilt Commodores with a walk-off, run-rule victory Friday night.
Florida starting pitcher Brandon Sproat tossed six innings of scoreless ball while the offense, led by utility infielder Deric Fabian, was electric.
How It Happened:
In the second inning, Deric Fabian opened the scoring with a two-run, no-doubt blast to left-center that registered 100 mph off the bat. The Gators added to the lead later in the inning on a Wyatt Langford double down the left field line that plated Cade Kurland from first base.
Fabian added to the lead the following inning when he hit and two-run single to left-center that scored Tyler Shelnut and Luke Heyman.
In the fourth, a Jac Caglianone sacrifice fly scored Kurland before BT Riopelle homered to the opposite (left) field to increase the advantage to 8-0.
The Gators completed the run-rule victory with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh on Jac Caglianone’s two-rbi single to walk it off. Florida loaded the bases prior to Caglianone’s at-bat with walks by Michael Robertson, Kurland, and Langford.
Sproat finished the night with 97 pitches in six inning allowing five hits and three walks while striking out five. Cade Fisher pitched the seventh and got out of trouble after just 19 pitches before the offense put the finishing touches on the game.
Kurland: 3-3, 2B, 2 BB, 3 R
Heyman: 3-4, R
Shelnut: 2-4, 2 2B, 2 R
Fabian: 2-4, HR, 4 RBI, R
Sproat: 6IP, 5 H, 0 R, 5 K, 3 BB
On Deck:
Florida and Vanderbilt will face off in game two of the series Saturday evening with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 PM. Hurston Waldrep (6-3, 5.07 ERA) will get the start for the Gators and will be opposed by Vandy LHP Devin Futrelle (6-2, 2.42 ERA).
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The no. 6 ranked Florida lacrosse team knocked off the Jacksonville University Dolphins in the first round of the NCAA Tournament 13-7.
Danielle Pavinelli and Sarah Reznick came up big in the second half to lead the Gators to victory. Pavinelli joined the 200 point club for her career and Reznick broke the UF single-game saves record with 17.
Pavinelli led the offensive attack with five goals, while Emma LoPinto had two. Maggi Hall, Ashley Gonzalez, Madison Waters, Paisley Eagan, Josie Hahn and Emily Diaz posted one score.
The offense moved the ball around all day with 10 assists as a team. Hall and LoPinto led the attack with three and Gonzalez had two. Emily Heller and Pavinelli added one apiece.
The Gators won 9 draws in the circle, with Kaitlyn Davies leading the way with five. Shelton Sawers and Heller each added two.
The defense stepped up big allowing only two goals in the first half and five in the second. The team forced 12 turnovers as well.
Eleven Gators picked up groundballs for a total of 20. Reznick led the team with four, while Becky Browndorf had three. Heller, Theresa Bragg, Eagan and Kaitlyn Davies collected two. Pavinelli, LoPinto, M. Waters, Alexa Waters and Emerson Cabrera added one.
Reznick was stellar in the net, saving 17 shots on 35 attempts for a .708 save percentage. She also broke another program-record with 71-straight games with a recorded save.
Head Coach Amanda O’Leary accredited the team’s experience and grit for pulling away in the second half. The Dolphins made a charge in the third quarter, pulling within two goals. O’Leary said, “They have the fight, the grit and this is how they played all season.”
The Gators will take on the winner of Mercer and Notre Dame in the Round of 16 on Sunday. The game is slated to begin at noon.
After losing 1-0 to Kentucky in Sunday’s rubber match in Lexington to close the regular season, Florida bounced back with a 6-2 victory over the Wildcats Thursday in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to advance to the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals.
The Gators hopped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after shortstop Skylar Wallace led off with a four-pitch walk and scored on third baseman Charla Echols’ sacrifice fly.
Florida right-hander Elizabeth Hightower started in the circle and delivered three shutout frames before she surrendered a two-out, two-run homer in the top of the fourth. In the top of the fifth, Hightower handed the ball over to southpaw Rylee Trlicek, who recorded the final nine outs without allowing a run.
Florida freshman Kaila Pollard went yard in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game before Wallace led off the fifth with a solo shot to regain the lead.
Lefty with the SMASH 💣 to left field ties it up!! #GoGators
The Gators tacked on two insurance runs in the fifth before Echols drove in Wallace with two outs in the sixth. It marks Echols’ 16th multi-RBI game this year as the Georgia native leads the SEC and ranks top-10 in the nation with 63 RBIs.
The Gators are the No. 8 seed in the tournament, while the Wildcats were the No. 9 seed. Florida will face No. 1 Tennessee in the quarterfinals Friday at 11 a.m. ET on the SEC Network. The Lady Vols swept the Gators last month in Knoxville, which included a five-inning, run-rule series opener. Tennessee led the conference with a 19-5 record and finished the season with over 40 wins overall (41-8).
One day after earning an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament by winning the American Athletic Conference tournament, the Florida Gators were selected as the No. 6 overall seed.
After a back-and-forth battle between the Florida Gators and Texas A&M Aggies, both teams had mustered just about all the offense they could. The Aggies had just one frame left to overcome a 1-run deficit, and it was up to closer Brandon Neely to secure the Gators’ win.
Need I say more?
No. 4 Florida (37-10, 15-7 SEC) defeated Texas A&M 26-20, 9-13 SEC) 6-5 Friday night to take game one of the weekend roadtrip.
Florida got off to a quiet start in the first, passing things over to Friday starting pitcher Brandon Neely in the bottom frame.
Neely faced some trouble early after allowing two TAMU batters on base before stranding both.
The Gators were able to convert runs in the top of the second inning after fifth-year catcher BT Riopelle plated two with a home run. After one inning, Florida led 2-0.
Sproat logged another scoreless inning in the bottom of the second.
The runs continued to flow in the third for UF. A pair of hits from freshman Cade Kurland and junior Wyatt Langford set up two-way sophomore Jac Caglianone to drive in a run on a groundout. In the bottom of the third, Sproat notched back-to-back-to-back scoreless innings thanks to a 1-2-3 frame.
UF added another sacrifice run in the fourth as Santa Fe College transfer Tyler Shelnut brought home Riopelle.
Texas A&M got on the board in the bottom of the fourth after Jace LaViolette sent a solo shot over the wall to make it 4-1. Sproat punched out the final batter to get out with a 3-run cushion.
The Gators’ offense went stagnant in the top fifth, stranding Langford and keeping it a 4-1 game. The Aggies tied things up in the bottom frame after a three-run homer. Headed into the sixth, UF tied TAMU 4-4.
Riopelle stepped up once more, homering again in the top of the sixth inning to make it 5-4.
After letting two runners on base in the bottom sixth, Sproat was pulled for freshman backend bullpen arm Cade Fisher. He let up an RBI single to make it a 5-5 ballgame. Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan opted to pull Fisher for right-hander Ryan Slater. The sophomore reliever was able to secure the last out, and the Gators entered the final third tied up with TAMU.
It didn’t take long for UF to regain the lead. Kurland stepped up with one out, turned on a 2-1 pitch and belted it past the outfield wall for a 6-5 UF lead.
Slater let up a walk to open the seventh and was pulled off the mound in favor Philip Abner. He secured the last two outs including a strikeout to carry Florida into the eighth inning with a 1-run lead.
The Gators went 1-2-3 through the top frame of the eighth inning. Abner produced the same result from his frame to keep it a 6-5 UF lead with one inning of play remaining.
UF went scoreless through the top frame. Neely emerged from the bullpen for the bottom. He secured the final three outs and UF was awarded with the win.
Tomorrow the Gators are back at Blue Bell Stadium looking to secure a series victory and five-straight wins against the Aggies.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The no. 8 Florida Gators lacrosse team (15-3) advanced to the AAC tournament championship with a 12-9 win over the East Carolina Pirates (10-8).
The Pirates led after three quarters, but a late 5 goal surge in the fourth carried the Gators to victory.
Maggi Hall and Emma LoPinto each logged hat-tricks in the contest, while AAC Midfielder of the Year Emily Heller scored two. Heller also joined the 100 point club for her career.
Paisley Eagan also joined the 100 point club with a behind-the-back goal. Madison Waters, Kaitlyn Davies and Tayler Warehime scored as well.
Hall led the team with a career-high five goals. Ashley Gonzalez dishes out an assist as well.
Heller led the team with four draw controls and the Gators won 12 of 22 on the night.
AAC Goalkeeper of the Year Sarah Reznick saved 11 shots in the contest, with a .550 save percentage.
The Gators defense stepped up and shutout the Pirates in the fourth. Heller, Theresa Bragg, Catherine Flaherty and Gonzalez each forced a turnover.
Danielle Pavinelli collected a team-high four groundballs. LoPinto, Flaherty and Josie Hahn tallied two apiece.
The Gators will carry their 10-game winning streak and nine straight conference championships into their matchup against no. 5 James Madison University. The game is set for Saturday, May 6th at 12 p.m.
As the Missouri Tigers brought the Florida Gators’ lead down to two runs in the eighth inning Sunday, AC/DC’s “Hell’s Bells” rang out over the Condron Family Ballpark speakers. The crowd responded with relief knowing that meant closing pitcher Brandon Neely was exiting the bullpen.
After coming out to an 8-3 lead, the Gators squandered their cushion and presented Neely with six outs to go and a save opportunity.
No. 4 Florida (35-10, 14-7 SEC) defeated Missouri (24-19, 5-16 SEC) 8-7 Sunday to pick up its fifth weekend series sweep of the season.
UF began with a dominant Friday night victory to start the series. The Gators needed just seven innings to pick up an 11-1, run-rule victory as they went yard four times. Brandon Sproat tossed all seven frames, allowing the Tigers’ only score in the fourth inning.
Missouri came out to an early lead in game two before UF tied things up with a 4-run third inning. Florida put together a late-inning surge led by juniors Wyatt Langford and Tyler Shelnut to secure the series with an 11-7 win. The Gators entered the Sunday matinee with an opportunity for their fifth weekend series sweep of the year.
Sunday starter Jac Caglianone started out on the mound throwing heat. He touched 100 mph in his first 20 pitches. The fastball was turned on for a single. He walked a batter later in the inning to put two runners on before striking out the last batter of the opening frame.
Florida started off hot on the offensive end as well. Junior outfielder and top MLB prospect Wyatt Langford worked a full count before sending one deep past the center field wall to give the Gators a 1-0 lead after the initial inning.
“I’m just going up there like I always do and getting ready to hit,” said Langford.
Caglianone struck out two more on the way to a scoreless second inning.
Things continued to roll in UF’s favor in the bottom half of the second. Back-to-back doubles from freshman Luke Heyman and junior Colby Halter put the second run on the scoreboard. Halter scored thanks to a sacrifice fly from Shelnut to put the Gators up 2-0 early.
Mizzou went 1-2-3 through the top of the third as Caglianone recorded his fifth strikeout of the game. Langford singled and Caglianone reached on a fielder’s choice in the bottom third but the Gators couldn’t convert and kept their lead at 3-0.
After loading the bases with two hit batters and a single in the fourth, Caglianone was pulled in favor of freshman lefty Cade Fisher. He forced a double play to get the first two outs which allowed the runner to score from third. He picked up the third out to close the frame with a 2-run cushion.
UF put two on base with a Heyman single and a Shelnut walk, but left both stranded on the way to back-to-back scoreless innings.
The Tigers stranded a batter at second to put up a zero in their fifth frame.
Caglianone made some noise at the plate in the fifth after stepping off the mound for the afternoon. He sent his 25th home run of the year past the center field wall to make it 4-1 Gators. He is now one away from tying Wyatt Langford and Matt LaPorta’s single-season record.
Mizzou put up consecutive scoreless innings in the sixth.
After being hit by a pitch in the bottom half, Halter stole second and reached third on a wild pitch. He scored thanks to passed ball and put the Gators up 5-1 through the middle third.
Missouri put two runners on with an HBP and a single. Trevor Austin launched a double into right field to plate both runners and cut the Tigers’ deficit to 5-3. Fisher was pulled for left-handed reliever Philip Abner with one man down in the seventh,
Abner was able to secure the second and third out without letting up another run.
Florida wasted no time getting its runs back. Freshman Cade Kurland homered for his first hit of the day to make it 6-3. Langford doubled behind him followed by a Caglianone reach on a HBP to put two on with nobody out. Junior shortstop Josh Rivera walked to load the bases, and Heyman hit a sacrifice fly to score the runner from third.
Halter hit an RBI double to score Florida’s third run of the frame. After seven innings, the Gators led 8-3.
The Tigers singled and worked an HBP to put two on with zero down in the top of the eighth. Abner was pulled for right-hander Ryan Slater. Missouri loaded the bases then singled to plate two runners and make it an 8-5 ballgame. Another single made it 8-6. Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan called Neely out of the bullpen.
He picked up the first out on a sacrifice fly to make it 8-7 before picking up the second out and punching out the frame. The Gators couldn’t add a run in the bottom eighth and sent Neely in with a 1-run cushion.
The closing ace secured the win and the sweep.
“Anytime you have a chance to sweep somebody, you’ve got to take advantage of it,” O’Sullivan said.
Next up, the Gators finish up their season series against Florida State in Jacksonville. Florida won the first two matchups this season. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
NORFOLK, Va. – The no. 8 Florida Gators lacrosse team (14-3) head into postseason play after a dominant win over the Old Dominion Monarchs (4-13), 17-5.
Once again Emma LoPinto headlined the Gator’s offensive attack, scoring four goals on the day, with Danielle Pavinelli serving up three assists to LoPinto. Maggi Hall collected a hat trick as well.
Tayler Warehime, Ava Tighe and Pavinelli each scored twice, while Emily Heller, Madison Waters, Paisley Eagan and Gianna Monaco scored once.
Pavinelli finished the game with four assists, and LoPinto, Hall, Warehime, Waters, Janine Suris, Ashley Gonzalez and Emerson Cabrera dished out one apiece.
Liz Harrison took charge of the draw circle, collecting 13 of the Gator’s 19 draw controls.
The Florida defense stifled the Monarch’s offense, allowing only five goals on 22 shots and forcing nine turnovers. Catherine Flaherty and Hall led the team with two each. Hall also collected four groundballs.
Goalkeeper Sarah Reznick saved seven shots and only allowed four goals in her three quarters of work. Elyse Finnelle closed out the final quarter with four saves and one goal allowed.
The Gators will head to Philadelphia to begin the AAC conference tournament as the no. 2 seed. They play Thursday, May 4 at 7 p.m. against the no. 3 seed, which has yet to be decided.
On a relatively quiet night for Florida baseball’s stars, an unsung hero made a big impact for the Gators. Junior Tyler Shelnut, a Santa Fe College transfer, had made just eighth apperances in SEC play for UF, including last night against the Missouri Tigers, in which he stood out with two hits and four RBIs.
Shelnut came to the rescue in game two, going 3-4 at the plate with three RBIs, including a clutch 2-run double to put the series win on ice.
No. 4 Florida (34-10, 13-7 SEC) defeated Missouri (24-18, 5-15 SEC) 11-4 Saturday to take the series victory in two games. The two teams were locked up through five innings before the Gators pulled away in the bottom sixth.
“The biggest thing was just controlling the things I can control and being ready when it’s my turn,” Shelnut said. “It feels really good.”
Junior right-handed pitcher and Saturday starter Hurston Waldrep got off to a treacherous first frame. After walking the leadoff man in four pitches, Mizzou’s Trevor Austin took the Southern Mississippi transfer deep past the left field wall to make it a 2-0 early lead for the Tigers.
Waldrep gave up a single to put another runner on base with no outs. He struck out the next batter before picking off the man at first to make it a two-out inning. He then plunked a batter, gave a up a single and threw a wild pitch to put two runners in scoring position. The Gators secured the final out to prevent further damage.
In the top of the second, Waldrep gave up another leadoff walk, but snagged a pop out and a double play to close the frame without allowing additional offense.
Florida went 1-2-3 through each of its first two innings at the plate.
After a quick two outs to open the third Mizzou picked up another two-run burst. A single put a runner on for the Tigers before designated hitter Dalton Bargo crushed a ball into center field to make it a 4-0 lead for Missouri.
The Gators notched their first hit thanks to a single through the left infield from Shelnut. It advanced Colby Halter, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Mizzou chose to call in reliever Rorik Maltrud after the sequence.
He gave up a single to redshirt freshman Michael Robertson, which scored Halter and moved Shelnut into scoring position with no outs. He then walked freshman Cade Kurland to load the bases.
Then the floodgates opened. A pair of RBI singles from juniors Wyatt Langford and Josh Rivera, plus a sacrifice fly from sophomore two-way player Jac Caglianone, tied the ballgame at four runs a piece after the opening third.
Waldrep gave up a walk and a single with one out to open the fourth. After a wild pitch advanced both runners, the Gators were able to secure the final two outs and keep the game tied up.
Florida picked up two outs in the fifth before Waldrep walked his fourth batter of the day. Head coach Kevin O’Sullivan opted to pull him in favor of right-handed reliever Ryan Slater. He struck out the final batter to close the frame.
O’Sullivan said there was a “discrepancy” with the legality of Waldrep’s delivery the team got notice of this week that caused some adjustment and discomfort today. He did not clarify the source of the notice but said it didn’t come from the SEC.
Franklin struck out the Gators’ side to close the fifth inning still tied 4-4. Mizzou went 1-2-3 to open the sixth.
UF finally broke through in the bottom sixth. The Gators quickly loaded the bases and began driving in runs. A sac fly from Halter and an RBI single from Shelnut gave Florida its first lead at 6-4. UF continued to pour it on as a pair of singles from Robertson and Langford added three RBIs.
After the middle third, the Gators led 9-4 over Missouri.
Mizzou got a handful of runs back in the top of the second thanks to a moonshot from Hank Zeisler. An RBI triple made it 9-7 with an out to go, prompting O’Sullivan to pull Slater for late-game ace Brandon Neely. He snagged the frame-closing K to keep the 2-run cushion.
Shelnut continued his prolific night with a 2-run double to make it 11-7 Gators after seven innings.
The Tigers went 1-2-3 against Neely in the eighth to keep it a 4-run UF lead. He closed the ninth frame to earn the series victory in game two.
“We showed a lot of resilience today,” O’Sullivan said.
Florida will look to sweep the Tigers with a win tomorrow. First pitch is set for noon and the game will broadcast on the SEC Network.
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