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Hello, my name is Griffin Foll. I graduated from the University of Florida in August 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a specialization in sports and media. I am passionate about my writing and reporting, and I hope you enjoy my personal website. Welcome!
  • SB: Gators Walk it Off in Rubber Match to Win First SEC Series

    SB: Gators Walk it Off in Rubber Match to Win First SEC Series

    After dropping game one of Friday’s double-header, No. 8 Florida bounced back with a pair of 4-3 victories over Missouri to win its first SEC series of the season.

    In Sunday’s series finale, the Gators trailed by a run entering the bottom of the seventh inning but scored two runs with two outs to prevail. Shortstop Skylar Wallace drove in center fielder Katie Kistler before Wallace scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch.

    Senior southpaw Rylee Trlicek entered the circle in right-hander Elizabeth Hightower’s relief Sunday and earned the win to improve to 7-1 this year. The Texas native picked up her first save this season Friday after she pitched the last three innings of the second game in Hightower’s relief.

    Sophomore right-hander Lexie Delbrey — who leads Florida with a 1.56 ERA and a 0.81 WHIP — started the series opener and allowed six earned runs across five innings en route to just her second loss this season.

    At the plate, Wallace went 4-8 and extended her RBI-streak to five games. The redshirt junior hit her team-leading fifth triple of the season in game one followed by her team-leading seventh home run in game two. Wallace leads the SEC and ranks second in the nation in on-base percentage (.632).

    The Gators improve to 22-5 (.815) overall and 14-2 at home.

    Game 1 Box Score

    Mizzou: 7 / 10 / 0

    Florida: 3 / 5 / 0

    Game 2 Box Score

    Mizzou: 3 / 5 / 1

    Florida: 4 / 8 / 3

    Game 3 Box Score

    Mizzou: 3 / 6 / 1

    Florida: 4 / 8 / 0

    On Deck

    Following their 11-game home stand, the Gators will head to DeLand, Florida, to face Stetson Wednesday before they travel to Fayetteville, Arkansas, this weekend to take on the No. 9 Razorbacks. Arkansas is 20-8 overall despite losing five of its past six games entering Sunday’s contest against Alabama. The Gators are 30-4 against Arkansas dating back to 2008, but the Hogs won all four meetings last year.

  • WGYM: SEC Championship Session II ft. No. 3 Florida, No. 6 LSU, No. 8 Kentucky, and No. 10 Alabama

    WGYM: SEC Championship Session II ft. No. 3 Florida, No. 6 LSU, No. 8 Kentucky, and No. 10 Alabama

    It’s a battle in Georgia tonight as the top four teams battle it out for the SEC championship title! Florida comes in as the slight favorite, but any one of these teams could edge them out – expect this to come down to the very last routine.

    For a better picture on how things should go for Florida tonight, check out my regular season review of the Gators. At the end of that review, the math doesn’t lie – the Gators need a 198.225 to pass Michigan and take back No. 2 and a 198 flat to lock in No. 3 away from Utah and UCLA.

    Florida has faced LSU, Alabama, and Kentucky already this season and lost only to LSU, so the Gators know that they have what it takes to compete, but they have a little something to prove. LSU has also sustained several injuries since these top two teams last met, so it’s a different lineup of athletes that will be competing tonight than Florida last saw.

    We’re about to get started, so tune into SEC Network, or keep refreshing this page, and we’ll have all the play by play right here.

    8:05pm: Looks like we’re getting one more commercial break before things get started.

    8:06pm: Okay, here we go!

    Richards, VT: Y1.5, looked like a little slide back, Adrian was in the way.

    Procasky, UK FX: A little short on her double tuck to finish out.

    Burgess hits beam to start for Alabama.

    Wong, VT: Yhalf-on, pike half off, a good one! Little slide back on the landing.

    Dunne, LSU UB: Short on her final cast handstand. DLO dismount is stuck! I have no idea how she’s doing that with partially torn labrums.

    Blakely, VT: Y1.5, solid block. The tiniest of hops forward. Her best all season!

    8:10pm: DiCello, VT: Y1.5, overcooked that one, big hop forward and at least one more step.

    Tatum, LSU UB: Ray, little bit of flexed feet, directly to pak, little leg separation. Good handstand to finish, sticks her full in!

    Thomas, VT: Y1.5, little step forward, maybe a second? Huge height and distance though, wow.

    Finnegan, LSU UB: Hecht mount, love that. Piked Deltchev, incredibly difficult. Bail was fine. Solid last handstand. Arabian double front, single step forward. A great routine for the Tigers.

    Patterson, UK FX: Starts with her combination pass, lovely twisting form. Nice switch ring, and more gorgeous leap positions as she continues. Really bringing the drama in this section of choreography on the floor. Double tuck to finish, nice height and landing.

    Shchennikova, LSU UB: Big air on her release! Catches a little close though. Pak is fine. DLO dismount, looks stuck from here.

    Clark, VT: Yfull, great amplitude, big single bounce in the air on her landing. “Pogo stick,” in Kathy’s words.

    8:16pm: Bryant, LSU UB: Great opening handstand work. Jaeger, caught a little close but great height. Bail looked solid. Last handstand looked good. Double front half out, little scoot back.

    Davis, UK FX: Double back to open was strong. Dedicates this routine to her father, who loved classic rock. Front through to a double tuck to finish – another hit for Kentucky.

    Strong routine for Hudson from Alabama on beam as well.

    Blanco, Ala BB: Front aerial, lovely. Bhs loso, doesn’t do her triple series today. Needle scale, nice flexibility there. Switch to switch half, solid 180 positions. Roundoff 1.5 is stuck! That will be a big score.

    Worley, UK FX: Full in, great control on the landing. 1.5 to front lay, two foot stick! Double tuck to finish is solid too, that’ll be a great score as well!

    AFTER ONE: UK 49.4, UF 49.375, BAMA 49.375, LSU 49.325

    Kentucky is in FIRST after one??? This is WILD.

    https://twitter.com/hharden85/status/1637249188084740102?s=20

    Sam makes an excellent point – bars gives Florida an opportunity to pull ahead. The Gators will need to capitalize on every single tenth though!

    8:33pm: Rotation 2!

    Blakely, UB: Maloney to pak, didn’t look like much leg sep but Owen was in the way. Solid handstand work. Double front is stuck cold! That’s a great start!

    Arenas, LSU BB: Full turn is clean. Gorgeous dance series. Dismount looked stuck from here!

    Wilson, UK VT: Handspring pike half, little slide back. Not a lot of distance but decent height.

    Patterson, UK VT: Handspring pike half, tried to sell the stick but she didn’t get much amplitude at all.

    Nguyen, UB: Maloney is clean, major leg sep coming out of the pak. DLO is stuck though!

    Magnelli, UK VT: Another handspring pike half, best dynamics out of the three, little slide back.

    8:37pm: DiCello, UB: Gorrrgeous Ray. Pak salto is lovely, connected right into a handstand, into a van Leeuwen. Almost overdid it on the handstand, full out dismount, hop on the landing. Some legs as usual, but judges haven’t been taking that.

    Worley, UK VT: Y1.5, sizeable hop to the side.

    Thomas, UB: Maloney to pak, both clean. Great low bar handstand work. van Leeuwen is excellent. Strong handstand to finish Nails her DLO! That will be a fantastic score. It’s a perfect 10.0!!!

    Wong, UB: Maloney to pak, a little ankle separation. van Leeuwen is clean. Strong final handstand. DLO is… it looked stuck but then she stepped forward.

    Gladieux, Ala FX: Full in to open, good control on the landing. Front lay to Rudi to split jump, travels a little bit.

    McCusker, UB: Transitions look good from here. Stalder looked better again this week, double tuck – just a hair under, has to step forward.

    Bryant, LSU BB: Front aerial to bhs, solid. Switch to straddle 1/4, clean. Full turn, nice and steady. Standing front tuck, little bobble there. Punch front 1.5 dismount is stuck!

    Hudson, Ala FX: Front lay to front double full, little lunge out of it, decent control. Dance series looked clean. Going into the very Alabama choreography here. 2.5 twist, very clean on that. Double tuck to close, nice.

    Finnegan, LSU BB: Series is clean. Full turn, steady. Front aerial, very solid. Gainer full – sticks it!

    8:49pm: Blanco, Ala FX: Wolf turn to open, fine. Double pike, strong. High-energy choreography through here. Front full to front lay, very clean – that’ll be another strong score for the Tide.

    AFTER TWO: UF 99.075, BAMA 98.925, UK 98.725, LSU 98.675

    Some gifts there on bars for Florida, to be honest, but I doubt they’ll be the only ones getting gifts tonight.

    https://twitter.com/hharden85/status/1637253954760212484?s=20

    Here’s that perfect 10 from Thomas:

    9:00pm: Rotation 3!

    Blakely, BB: Front aerial to bhs, lovely. Switch to switch half, bobble, another, but she stays on. Looked like her dismount was stuck?

    Ballard, LSU FX: 1.5 to front lay, has to pull that second element around a little bit. Double pike to close, almost kept the two-foot stick but just steps it back into a lunge. That’s a strong start for the Tigers.

    Gladieux, Ala VT: Y1.5, a little off axis but stays in the lines.

    Lazzari, BB: Bhs loso loso, just gorgeous. Switch to split, very nice 180s. Front aerial, solid. Full turn is clean. Cartwheel gainer full, maybe a little adjustment.

    Hudson, Ala VT: Y1.5, big shift back to recover from the underrotation.

    Blanco, Ala VT: Y1.5, very clean, little hop forward.

    DiCello, BB: Candle mount, lovely. Double wolf turn, keeps it even-keeled. Switch to split, excellent extension through both. Bhs loso, dead on. Bhs gainer full off the side is stuck! Well done.

    Shallon Olsen having her vault of the season, basically stuck her DTY, although lots of bent knees throughout.

    9:08pm: Thomas, BB: Switch split mount, gorgeous. One-arm bhs to loso, nice and quick and solid. Beat to korbut, not two-foot front aerial this week. Bhs 1.5 twist, little shuffle.

    Arenas, LSU FX: Front double full, skids forward a little but stays in bounds. Front lay front full, nice and floaty into that second element.

    Worley, UK UB: Tkachev is excellent. Pak is good. Full in is super high, but just a little hop.

    Wong, BB: Switch leap to split leap, lovely. Bhs loso, solid. Full turn is clean. Roundoff double full, holds the stick this time!

    Finnegan, LSU FX: Double arabian right into the stag, great amplitude on that. 2.5 twist to punch front, super clean. That’s an excellent routine.

    McCusker, BB: Double wolf, little wobbly but brings it around okay. Front aerial, nice. Bhs loso, little lean. Switch to split, just gorgeous. Gainer full off the side, stuck!

    Bryant, LSU FX: Double front, two-foot stick!!! WOW! Front lay to Rudi, super clean there as well. Dance series is excellent. Front double full, another two-foot stick! That should be a 10 if I’ve ever seen one, good god. And somehow she only gets a 9.95? I have no idea what they took on that.

    AFTER THREE: UF 148.75, BAMA 148.45, UK 148.325, LSU 148.3

    9:26pm: Last one best one!

    Nguyen, FX: She’s back! Yay! Front double full to split jump, very clean. Switch ring to tour jete half, lovely. 1.5 to front lay, big lunge forward but dances out quickly.

    Arenas hits a strong Yfull for LSU to start out.

    German, Ala UB: Solid opening handstand. Big Tkachev, pak is great. Solid final handstands DLO is stuck! That’s a great routine for the Tide.

    Brock, LSU VT: Y1.5, sits it down.

    Baumann, FX: 1.5 to front full, super clean. Switch side to straddle jump, just ridiculous oversplit, incredible height. Double pike to close, nails it. Give her her flowers! Do not let lineup order influence that score!

    Wilson, LSU VT: Absolutely NAILS her Yfull! Sticks it cold.

    Bryant, LSU VT: Handspring pike half, little slide back. Incredible dynamics though.

    9:32pm: Waligora, Ala UB: Great opening handstand work. Jaeger to overshoot, solid. Short on the last handstand maybe? FTDLO is maybe stuck? Maybe a little hop in place? Hard to see.

    Richards, FX: DLO, some leg sep but good control. Leap sequence is solid. Combination pass clean – always wishing there was more energy in her choreography, but it’s passable.

    Patterson, UK BB: Bhs loso, floats that all the way to the end of the beam. Front aerial to split, smooth transition there. Switch leap to second switch leap, good extension through both. Gainer pike off the end, maybe stuck? A solid score either way though.

    Wong, FX: Dos Santos, deeper in the landing than the last few weeks. Dance series is gorgeous. Whip half to front full, foot slips out from under a little. Not what she needed.

    9:38pm: Worley, UK BB: They need a hit here, they have a fall from Bailey Bunn to drop. Front aerial, misses her foot but covers into an arabesque. Series is clean. Little movement on the dismount, but it’s better than the 9.2.

    Thomas, FX: DLO is a great one. Dance series is solid. Really playing to the crowd now, and the camera! 1.5 to front lay, super clean. Flawless. Should be another fantastic score.

    Florida clinches No. 2 and Kayla DiCello is still yet to go!

    DiCello, FX: Front double full, little crossover step like usual. Would love to see her clean that up next year. Switch ring to switch half, great extension through both. Combination pass to close it out is strong too – what a night for the Gators!

    FINAL: UF 198.425, BAMA 197.925, LSU 197.8, UK 197.675, AUB 197.1, MIZ 197.0, ARK 196.825, UGA 196.6

    Sloane Blakely (UF), Gabby Gladieux (Bama), Cassie Stevens (Aub), and Jocelyn Moore (Miz) won vault at 9.95. Trinity Thomas won bars and floor outright, both with those perfect 10.0s! Leanne Wong won beam outright with a 9.975, and Thomas also won AA at 39.8.

    The Gators did lots of what they needed to do tonight, but there’s still room for improvement! After the dust settles tonight, we’ll be able to see exactly what their regional placement is in just a few short hours.

    Thanks for tuning in! We’ll see you all in a few weeks for regionals!

  • WGYM: A Regular Season Review

    WGYM: A Regular Season Review

    Regular season has officially ended, so it’s time to take a look at how the Gators did and how that should translate to postseason.

    The Gators have floated between No. 2 and No. 3 all season, duking it out with fellow former champions Michigan and staying within throwing distance of reigning champs Oklahoma. Bars has looked like Florida’s best event, never scoring below a 49.4 and ending the season ranked No. 2 on the event. Floor has been its most inconsistent, with the team’s lowest (49.175) and second-highest (49.725) event scores of the season both coming on the event.

    Throughout the season, though, this team has played with its depth, rotating through athletes in the lineup to allow others to rest and searching for the right six to make up its final postseason competitors. This has been the primary reason for its inconsistencies, so as postseason approaches, it’s a reasonable expectation that consistency should improve.

    Let’s break it down event by event and look at the finer details that could make the difference between win and lose in any step of the postseason.

    VAULT

    The Gators have been steadily improving their landings on vault over the course of the season, culminating in back-to-back 49.5+ performances in their last two outings. Payton Richards, Kayla DiCello, Sloane Blakely, and Trinity Thomas have been lineup staples with their Yurchenko 1.5s, and all four have scored 9.925 or higher so far this season. Each has their unique variety of concerns: Blakely and Richards have a tendency to underrotate, Thomas occasionally overcooks hers, and DiCello’s can get a little uncontrolled in the air. Each of them will need to minimize these issues – without overcorrection – for the best vault rotation possible.

    Leanne Wong has also been a lineup regular on vault, but her vault of choice is much different than most of her peers. She competes a Yurchenko half-on pike half off, which might sound like gibberish to anyone who isn’t intimately familiar with the sport. Like her teammates, Wong does a roundoff onto the springboard, but she does a half turn before pushing off of the table, so her hands are facing forward instead of backward. She then completes a single rotation with a half turn, so she lands facing the vault again, in a piked position.

    Wong’s two problems this season have been her amplitude and her landing – she’s often landed with her chest low and close to the vault, and when she’s able to get a better block, she overdoes it and can’t control her landing, as in this video here. She earned a perfect 10.0 on vault last season with this vault, but to get back to that level of greatness, she’ll need to find a happy medium here.

    The last member of the vault lineup has rotated over the course of the season, with Chloi Clark and Bri Edwards trading off for most of the season with their Yurchenko fulls. However, Rachel Baumann may be attempting a comeback after injuring her elbow early in the season, and her Y1.5 is capable of a much higher score than either full from Clark or Edwards. Victoria Nguyen also attempted a Y1.5 two weeks ago at Oklahoma, but had a scary fall that kept her out of the remainder of that meet and the following meet. It seems doubtful that she would make another attempt in a high-pressure situation like a postseason meet, but if she’s feeling more confident, it is possible.

    Ideally, the Gators will want a sixth 10.0 start value vault to round out their lineup, especially as they get closer to facing opponents like Oklahoma, Michigan, or Utah. Baumann is the most likely candidate for that role, but “the most” doesn’t really mean “very” likely at all – her exhibition at TWU last week did not go especially well, and word is that it hurt her elbow to do. Perhaps Florida’s best bet is to focus on getting one of the fulls cleaned up to 9.9-quality, and the likeliest choice for that route is Edwards, as she seems to have a little more control over her landings than Clark.

    Postseason Lineup Prediction: Richards, Wong, DiCello, Thomas, Blakely, Edwards/Baumann

    BARS

    With bars as their best event this season, the Gators are in really good shape here. The current six – Blakely, Richards, DiCello, Thomas, Wong, and Riley McCusker – could easily be the postseason six, do what they’ve been doing the last two weeks, and turn in an excellent event score. But in order to compete with the top dogs, Florida will want to gain as much ground as it can on this event, and that means some fine-tuning and maybe one last lineup change.

    The majority of Florida’s bar routines rely on bar-to-bar transition elements, typically a Maloney – a toe-on Shaposhnikova, a family of release skills where the athlete moves from low bar to high bar with her body fully extended horizontally, facing the ceiling – and a pak salto – a release from high to low where the athlete swings beneath the high bar and inverts to grab the low bar. They’re the first two elements in this video:

    The key to perfect execution on these is keeping the legs glued together, which some of the Gators have struggled with this season, particularly Blakely and Richards. They’ll want to pay special attention to that to keep from giving up valuable tenths against top competitors.

    Richards also has significant leg separation with her double layout dismount. These two concerns may mean she shouldn’t make the final lineup, especially when the Gators have a few cleaner choices in their arsenal. If healthy, Nguyen definitely has a higher score ceiling – her season high is a 9.925, while Richards’s is just a 9.85. Additionally, there is still the hope that Savannah Schoenherr could return after breaking her foot the day before the season started. Last we heard, head coach Jenny Rowland said Schoenherr was “in the gym every day,” and she could be a big difference maker in postseason if she’s back to her usual 9.9+ self every week. Still, with only high-pressure situations left this season, is that level of risk worth it?

    Postseason Lineup Prediction: Blakely, Nguyen, DiCello, Thomas, Wong, McCusker

    BEAM

    With the addition of McCusker the last two weeks, it appears that the Gators have found their postseason six on balance beam. The biggest concern right now is landings, because most of this team has had to upgrade their dismounts after changes to the code this season.

    The side aerial to back full was devalued, so in order for beam routines to start from a 10.0, athletes have had to restructure their dismount choices, with most Gators choosing side aerial or roundoff to 1.5 twist. The 1.5 is harder to stick, as it’s a bit of a blind landing, so getting extra tenths back on beam will really be about dialing in those landings. Check out the difference between the dismounts in Thomas’s routines below between 2022 and 2023.

    Thomas’s beam routine in 2022, where she dismounted with side aerial to back layout full
    Thomas’s beam routine in 2023, where she dismounts with side aerial to back 1.5 twist

    Others, like Wong and DiCello, have chosen different dismounts, but have also had some trouble sticking. Drilling these landings without question marks like swimming their arms or college sticking will be key to getting the most out of this rotation in every step of the postseason.

    Predicted Postseason Lineup: Blakely, Lazzari, DiCello, Wong, Thomas, McCusker

    FLOOR

    On floor, Florida has rarely competed the full lineup that they will likely want in the postseason. Thomas, DiCello, Wong, and Baumann have been rotated out to get rest weeks but have generally been lineup regulars and all have routines capable of perfection, with both Thomas and Baumann having reached that mark previously. Blakely has also gotten her double arabian relatively under control, although she still runs the risk of going out of bounds. Still, her upside is enormous – she scored a perfect 10.0 last season – so the scoring potential is worth the risk.

    The big question will be whether the sixth member of the lineup will be Richards or Nguyen. Nguyen’s technique is certainly better, but after her vault crash a few weeks ago, whether or not she will be ready remains to be seen. Richards is reliable, but her leg form can get a little loose on her double layout, and she had a hiccup a few weeks ago with her combination pass where she missed the rebound from one element into the next. Still, she’s scored as high as 9.925 this season, which is absolutely a desirable score for postseason. Either would be an excellent choice – it’s just a matter of who’s most ready.

    If I were in Rowland’s shoes, I would move Baumann later into the lineup. She scored a 10.0 last year at Georgia, and she’s absolutely capable of it as a Gator as well. She has the precision, the strong tumbling, and the style to go big, but because of the way that scores typically build as a lineup goes on, she won’t score as high as she’s capable of if she stays in the 2 spot. 3rd, or even 4th, would give her a much better chance at a high score.

    Postseason Lineup Prediction: Richards/Nguyen, DiCello, Wong, Baumann, Thomas, Blakely

    OVERALL

    Florida will be looking for strong results over the next month in the various stages of postseason. Tonight, the Gators will seek the conference title as the slight favorites for the SEC Championship. They’ll begin on vault, so watch their landings to see how they’re doing in paying attention to these details. They’ll need every last tenth to hold off LSU, Kentucky, and Alabama.

    Gator fans can also keep an eye out for a specific score – 198.225. A 198 flat will lock in No. 3 for Florida without needing to worry about what Utah or UCLA can score at Pac-12 Championships, but 198.225 would put them into No. 2 over Michigan. They’ll need every single tenth in order to make that happen – can they do it?

    Find out tonight at 8pm ET! We’ll be here for a liveblog shortly beforehand to make sure we have all the action for you.

  • LAX: Gators Fall to No. 7 James Madison in AAC Opener

    LAX: Gators Fall to No. 7 James Madison in AAC Opener

    HARRISONBURG, Va. – The No. 8 Gators lacrosse team (5-3) opened their American Athletic Conference play with a 14-9 loss against No. 7 James Madison University (8-1).

    The game was a back and forth affair for the first three quarters, with James Madison leading 10-9 at the end of the third. James Madison’s defense held the Gators scoreless in the fourth.

    With an assist in the first half, Ashley Gonzalez joined the 100 point club for her career. 

    Offensively, Emma LoPinto recorded a first half hat-trick and finished the day with a team-leading four goals. Danielle Pavinelli scored twice while Maggi Hall, Emily Heller and Madison Waters each had a goal of their own.

    Emily Diaz led the team with five draw controls while Heller had four controls.

    Hall led the way with two assists on the day, with Gonzalez notching an assist as well.

    On the defensive side of the ball, goaltender Sarah Reznick led the team with four groundballs and saved six shots. LoPinto, Waters and Heller registered two groundballs each.

    As a team, the Gators caused eight turnovers. Heller led the team with three forced turnovers. Catherine Flaherty and Pavinelli caused two, and Waters caused one.

    The Gators return to the field on Wednesday, where they will travel to Mercer University. The game is set to begin at 3 P.M. on ESPN+. 

  • BSB: Florida sputters out in series finale versus Alabama

    BSB: Florida sputters out in series finale versus Alabama

    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    The Florida Gators woke up to the news this morning that their game against Alabama had turned into a double header. Suddenly, a 9-inning sprint became an all-day, 18-inning marathon that crawled through the Friday afternoon. Despite securing the series in the first leg, the Gators ultimately sputtered out and fell in the series finale, finishing the opening weekend of SEC play at 2-1.

    No. 5 Florida (18-4, 2-1 SEC) fell to No. 24 Alabama (17-4, 1-2 SEC) 6-3 Friday night in the finale of both teams’ opening conference series. The Gators were unable to take a lead despite producing four-straight scoreless innings from the Crimson Tide through the middle innings.

    Junior right-handed pitcher Hurston Waldrep came out to a sluggish start in game three. He walked multiple batters and put UF into tough situations, which led to three runs scored on a single, a passed ball and an unearned run on a single. He threw 32 pitches before getting out of the frame with the Gators down 3-0.

    “Our starting pitching is obviously better than what is was today,” Head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said.

    Florida made up for its errors by taking advantage of Alabama’s own mistakes. Freshman Cade Kurland advanced to third thanks to a few errors and fielder’s choices. Then, junior infielder Josh Rivera stepped to the plate. After walking off the previous game, he sent a two-run shot over the wall to make it a 3-2 deficit for the Gators after one inning.

    “In the past I would dwell on mechanics and stuff like that instead of focusing on my mentality,” Rivera said. “It’s just mentality.”

    Alabama continued to sit on the fastball and found success. The first one of the second inning was turned on for a solo-shot home run, giving the Crimson Tide the lead. Florida was able to put a pair of runners on base with some walks but ultimately left its men stranded. After two innings, the Gators trailed 4-2.

    Despite giving up a single in the top of the third, Waldrep snagged his fourth strikeout and the frame closer to escape the third with Alabama’s lead stagant.

    The Gators continued to get runners on base without converting runs, leaving two more stranded in the bottom of the third to keep it 4-2. Both teams went scoreless through the middle third as the game trudged on towards the final three innings.

    Sophomore right-hander Brandon Neely entered in relief of Waldrep in the seventh. Waldrep finished with six innings pitched, seven hits, three earned runs and seven strikeouts on four walks.

    Neely got caught in a jam after a single turned into a runner on third with the help of a stolen base and an error. He was able to secure the third out with strikeout to keep the Crimson Tide scoreless through four consecutive innings.

    Florida made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh. Freshman Luke Heyman entered to pinch hit and singled. Junior infielder Colby Halter singled behind him to send pinch runner Richie Schiekofer to third. The top of the order was due up with just one out.

    Redshirt freshman Michael Robertson added an RBI single to make it a one-run game. Despite the momentum, Florida managed to run itself into a freak double play to close the seventh inning still trailing, 4-3.

    After four scoreless innings, ‘Bama broke through with a two-run bomb to left field to make it a 6-3 lead for the Tide.

    The Gators couldn’t get anything going in their penultimate offensive frame, committing their first 1-2-3 strikeout inning all season.

    “Those were two tough games,” senior catcher BT Riopelle said. “I give Alabama a lot of credit. We really wanted to solidify a sweep there.”

    After holding Alabama scoreless in the ninth, the Gators dug in with a chance for lightning to strike twice. Instead, the Gators went 1-2-3 on strikeouts again to close the series on a not-so high note.

    Next up, the Gators travel to Tallahassee for a midweek matchup Tuesday against Florida State. It will be the first of three games played by the two teams this season. The Seminoles came out with a six-game win streak to start the season, but have since won just six of their last 12. They defeated Boston College in their series opener this afternoon. The game is set to begin at 7 p.m. and will stream on ACCNX.

  • BSB: Rivera walks off the Tide, secures series victory

    BSB: Rivera walks off the Tide, secures series victory

    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    Junior infielder Josh Rivera stepped the plate in the bottom of the ninth with the score tied 7-7. The winning run stood at third base. Rivera, who had kept his team in the dogfight with two hits already, was clamoring for the final breakthrough needed for a series victory.

    He turned on the 0-1 pitch and sent it down the right-field line for an RBI single, and gave the Gators the series despite not leading all game.

    No. 5 Florida (18-3, 0-2) defeated No. 24 Alabama (16-4, 0-2) 8-7 in the first game of a Saturday double header to lock down the series.

    Two-way sophomore Jac Caglianone, the usual Sunday starter for Florida, toed the rubber for game one of the double header. He came out to what’s becoming a signature shaky first frame, letting up a walk and a single to put two runners on. Alabama’s Drew Williamson stepped to the plate and homered on a full count to plate three runs and make it a 3-0 start for the Crimson Tide after the top of the first.

    The Gators responded right away.

    Freshman infielder Cade Kurland was plunked to put a runner on base. Junior shortstop Josh Rivera got Florida’s opening hit, the same as he did last night, to put a runner in scoring position. While Caglianone couldn’t plate a runner or get on base, senior BT Riopelle stepped up and sent a three-run shot of his own into the right berm.

    After one inning, the score was even at three runs a piece.

    Caglianone continued to struggle in the second inning. He plunked a batter and gave up a pair of singles to score a runner and make it 4-3 ‘Bama. After a wild pitch put two runners in scoring position, Caglianone was able to stop the bleeding with a strikeout to close the frame.

    Florida went three up and three down in the bottom of the second to keep it a 4-3 Alabama lead. Caglianone snagged a perfect inning of his own in the top of the third, including his third strikeout of the night to keep the game within one run.

    Kurland singled to reach base again, but the remaining Florida batters left him stranded. After the opening third, the Gators still trailed 4-3.

    In the top of the fourth, Caglianone produced his second-straight perfect inning with help from a pair of strikeouts and a defensive gem by sophomore outfielder Ty Evans. Florida changed sides in search of some offensive production.

    Riopelle put things in a positive direction with a leadoff double. Evans followed it up with a ground out to advance Riopelle. Junior infielder Tyler Shelnut stepped to the plate with two outs and the tying run at third.

    He popped out to close the frame and Florida stayed behind by one run.

    After sitting seven-straight batters, Caglianone began to unravel. He gave up a one-out walk in the top of the fifth, followed up by an RBI double to put the Tide up 5-3. Caglianone secured his sixth strikeout in one less inning to escape the jam once again, this time with his team down two runs.

    Kurland stepped to the plate in the bottom of the fifth and sent a solo-shot homer into Dizney Grove for his seventh home run of the season. Caglianone stepped to the plate with a chance to tie the game himself and sent the ball careening off the bat into center, but it died off quick and landed safely in the glove of the Alabama outfield. After five innings, Florida trailed 5-4.

    O’Sullivan decided to pull Caglianone in the top of the sixth after he reached 100 pitches in the prior inning. Sophomore right-hander Nick Ficarrotta entered in relief.

    Despite giving up a two-out walk, Ficarrotta secured the scoreless inning and a strikeout to keep it a one-run game.

    Rivera stepped to the plate in the bottom of the sixth and tied the game up for the Gators. His solo-shot homer tied his season-highs in both home runs and RBIs with nine and 32, respectively. Florida couldn’t pull ahead and settled for the 5-5 tie heading into the closing third of game two.

    Ficarrotta was pulled midway through the top of the seventh after giving up a single and a walk. Freshman lefty Cade Fisher entered needing two outs with two runners on base.

    He gave up an RBI single to put ‘Bama up once again, 6-5. He was promptly pulled in favor of redshirt sophomore right-hander Ryan Slater. The Palm Harbor native nabbed the final two outs and escaped the inning with just one run scored.

    Shelnut dug in for the bottom of the seventh and led off with a double. Junior infielder Colby Halter laid down a sac bunt to put the tying run at third, allowing redshirt freshman Michael Robertson to smack an RBI single into right field. Shelnut scored to tie the game at six runs each, and the Tide reached further into their bullpen.

    Robertson stole to put the leading run in scoring position. Caglianone dug in but was intentionally walked, opening the door for River to potentially grab his third hit in four at-bats and the lead.

    Instead, Rivera waved strike three by and closed the inning, and things took a turn for the worse for the Gators. Alabama stepped up in the eighth and homered again to pull ahead once more, 7-6. Slater gave up a stand-up double, which prompted O’Sullivan to look to the ‘pen once more, this time calling sophomore lefty Philip Abner’s number.

    Despite giving up a single and allowing a runner to advance on a groundout, Slater was able to punch out the final batter and put Florida within striking distance of the walk-off win.

    Halter stepped up and sent a solo homer to left field for the tie. Robertson sent a single up the middle to put the winning run on base. A HBP and a fielder’s choice put Robertson at third and Rivera at the plate, and the rest is history.

    Florida will wrap things up with game three shortly. The game will stream on SEC Network+.

  • BSB: Sproat propels Gators to victory in SEC opener

    BSB: Sproat propels Gators to victory in SEC opener

    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    From the stretch of non-conference play to the open the 2023 season, it seemed the Florida Gators were most comfortable in offensive explosions. Headed into the opening weekend of Southeastern Conference play against Alabama, the Gators led the NCAA in hits, home runs and runs scored. In their last seven games, all wins, four came before the ninth inning thanks to the 10-run rule.

    Friday, the Gators were pushed well out of their comfort zone against the Crimson Tide, trading defensive blows in a game that was shutout on both sides through five and a half innings. In the end, Florida looked just as collected, bringing in a victory to open the 2023 conference slate.

    No. 5 Florida (17-3, 1-0 SEC) defeated No. 24 Alabama (16-3, 0-1 SEC) 3-0 at home Friday. Florida starting pitcher Brandon Sproat shined for the Gators, finishing with a career high 11 strikeouts and just one hit to earn the shutout and the win.

    “Really it all comes down to my mental side,” Sproat said. “Last week I was struggling a little bit, and this week I had a lot of clarity. It works for me, so I’m gonna keep building on it.”

    Sproat started off the evening by plunking the leadoff batter to put a runner at first. From there, the Gators were able to force the double play ball, opening up Sproat for the frame-ending strikeout without a hit.

    The Gators went three up and three down in the first to make it even at 0-0 after one.

    Alabama senior Ed Johnson got the first knock of the night for a two-out single in the top of the second. Sproat walked the next batter to put a runner in scoring position, but junior infielder Colby Halter picked up the force-out at third base to close the frame.

    Junior infielder Josh Rivera stepped to the plate to lead off for the Gators in the second. He smacked a ball to left field for Florida’s opening hit of the night and a single. He reached second on a passed ball. None of Rivera’s teammates were able to bring him in, keeping it scoreless headed into the third inning.

    UF’s defense grabbed a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the third, capped off by Sproat’s third strikeout of the contest. The Gators went 1-2-3 themselves to make it a 0-0 opening third.

    Sproat picked up his fourth and fifth strikeouts of the night in the fourth frame on his way to back-to-back perfect innings.

    In the bottom of the fourth, Alabama pulled its starter for junior left-hander Hunter Furtado. he stepped up to face sophomore two-way player and fellow lefty Jac Caglianone, who leads the NCAA in home runs (13) headed into the weekend series. He popped out, and the Gators went three up and three down to close the fourth inning, still tied 0-0.

    Florida kept it clean in the top of the fifth as Sproat notched his sixth strikeout of the evening. The Crimson Tide did the same in the bottom of the fifth to keep the scoreboard at zero runs and just one hit a piece.

    With two outs in the top of the sixth inning, Sproat threw four-straight balls to put a runner on base for the first time since the third. After throwing a fifth ball, Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan stepped out to the mound for a word with his ace. He left him in the game, and Sproat snagged his seventh strikeout to close the frame and keep it a scoreless game, walking off to the dugout with some emotion.

    The Gators used that momentum in the bottom of the sixth.

    Redshirt freshman outfielder Michael Robertson worked a two-out walk to put a runner on for the Gators. True freshman infielder Cade Kurland stepped to the plate and took a changeup. The next pitch, he sent a two-run shot to left field to make it a 2-0 Gators lead after the middle third.

    “I came in sitting fastball, looking to do damage.” Kurland said.

    Sproat re-entered the game in the seventh and dealt. He notched his eighth and ninth strikeouts to tie his career high in just 83 pitches and kept the shutout alive.

    Florida added to its lead after Rivera singled and advanced around to third. Sophomore outfielder Ty Evans grounded out, but scored Rivera to make it a 3-0 Gators lead through seven.

    In the top of the eighth, Sproat touched a career high 11 strikeouts to close the frame.

    Sproat got the call in the top of the ninth inning and attempted to close the contest. He snagged all three outs and exited his complete-game shutout to a raucous standing ovation.

    “I think that’s the best he’s thrown since he’s been here,” O’Sullivan said. “He was really special tonight.”

    Florida takes on Alabama in game two with a chance at a series-clinching victory. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game will stream on SEC Network+.

  • BSB: Where Florida stands headed into conference play

    BSB: Where Florida stands headed into conference play

    As Southeastern Conference play kicks off this weekend in NCAA baseball, the SEC looks as stacked as ever. No team has five or more losses, and only four have more than three. This begs the question for Florida fans headed into opening weekend: where do the Gators stand?

    While UF isn’t atop the SEC standings on paper, the Gators’ performance in the opening stretch of 2023 showed flashes of a team that can hold its own in a powerhouse conference, and earned them a top-five ranking according to D1Baseball.

    The Gators have won their last seven games, including a series victory March 5 against Miami. Four of those seven victories came early as UF run-ruled its opponents. Across the entire NCAA, Florida leads in hits, home runs and runs scored.

    While Florida’s batting order features some big bats, including veteran standouts Wyatt Langford, Josh Rivera and BT Riopelle, arguably the biggest name on Florida’s roster is sophomore two-way player Jac Caglianone. The Tampa, FL native leads the NCAA in home runs, is seventh in RBIs and sixth in slugging percentage.

    In addition to his performance at the plate, Caglianone has shined as the Sunday starter on the mound for the Gators. He has a 4-0 record and a 1.79 ERA and can sling it in the high-90 mph range. He caps off a menacing weekend starting trio alongside Brandon Sproat and Hurston Waldrep, who is tied for third in the NCAA in strikeouts.

    While Florida’s batters and weekend starters have rose to the occasion, head coach Kevin O’Sullivan has found it difficult working out midweek starters and middle relief. While Brandon Neely has been solid to close, the Gators need consistent arms to bridge the gap. Freshman Cade Fisher has been solid, but O’Sullivan will need bigger games from experienced names like Ryan Slater, Nick Ficarrotta and others to step up against SEC bats.

    Despite Florida’s early resume, they are absent from the top of the national rankings or SEC standings. LSU, Tennessee and Ole Miss all rank ahead in the top 25. The Gators trail South Carolina and Kentucky in the SEC East and would trail LSU, Alabama and Arkansas in the SEC West.

    The Gators have a chance to make some noise and move up the ladder in the opening weeks of SEC play. In their first four conference series, Florida plays three ranked opponents, including road series against No. 1 Tennessee and No. 3 Ole Miss.

    Florida gets things started with a home series against No. 24 Alabama this weekend. The Tide outrank UF in the SEC Standings by record and are 2-0 on the road. They rank top three in team batting average (just one ahead of Florida) and are in the top 25 of team ERA.

    Alabama will serve as both a ramp-up and a major challenge to kick off the brutal SEC slate for the Gators. Time will tell if UF is truly capable of competing in a conference with multiple juggernauts.

    The opener of No. 5 Florida’s series against No. 24 Alabama is set for 7 p.m. The game will broadcast on the SEC Network.

  • SB: Gators Shut Out Bucknell Ahead of SEC Opener

    SB: Gators Shut Out Bucknell Ahead of SEC Opener

    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    Up six runs in the bottom of the sixth, Florida third baseman Charla Echols hit an RBI double into left-center before she scored the game-clinching run on catcher Sam Roe’s double down the left-field line.

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    No. 8 Florida cruised to an 8-0 victory over Bucknell Wednesday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville.

    The Gators improve to 20-4 overall and 12-1 at home. The win marks Florida’s 10th shutout win and 15th run-rule victory this season.

    Florida southpaw Rylee Trick started in the circle and hurled three perfect innings while striking out a season-high five batters. Right-hander Samantha Bender — who earned her first win as a Gator after transferring from Tennessee — threw a pair of shutout frames before freshman right-hander Olivia Gigante stranded two baserunners in the top of the sixth.

    The Gators scored a pair of runs in the first, third and fourth innings.

    In the bottom of the first, shortstop Skylar Wallace doubled and scored on an Echols single up the middle. Wallace leads the SEC in on-base percentage (.623) and ranks fifth in the nation with in slugging percentage (1.043). Echols scored the second run on second baseman Reagan Walsh’s infield single.

    In the third, junior first baseman Avery Goelz drove in two runs on a two-out single up the middle.

    Junior left fielder Katie Kistler led off the bottom of the fourth with a triple and scored on sophomore center fielder Kendra Falby’s double into the left-center gap. Falby stole third for her 15th stolen base this year — leads the team —before she scored on a fielder’s choice to take to a 6-0 advantage.

    Box Score

    Bucknell: 0 / 1 / 2

    Florida: 8 / 11 / 1

    Pitching Decision

    Win: Bender (1-0)

    Loss: Burton (0-4)

    Individual Stats

    LHP Trlicek: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K [2.21/1.13 season ERA/WHIP]

    RHP Bender: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K [9.00/1.86 season ERA/WHIP]

    RHP Gigante: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K [4.67/1.89 season ERA/WHIP]

    1. CF Falby: 1-4, RBI, SB (15) [.453/.523/.520 season slash line]
    2. SS Wallace: 2-3, BB, 2 RBI, HR (6) [.447/.623/1.043 season slash line]
    3. 3B Echols: 2-4, 2 RBI [.459/.568/.869 season slash line]
    4. P Gigante: 1-3 [.325/.471/.725 season slash line]
    5. 2B Walsh: 1-2, RBI [.362/.480/.534 season slash line]
      • Roe: 1-2, RBI [.327/.450/.490]
    6. RF Egan: 0-2, HBP [.375/.476/1.000 season slash line]
    7. 1B A. Goelz: 1-3, RBI [.391/.437/.516 season slash line]
    8. C Wilkie: 0-1, BB [.286/.423/.714 season slash line]
      • Longley: 0-1 [.200/.364/.514 season slash line]
    9. LF Kistler: 0-1 [.333/.407/.412 season slash line]
      • Pollard: 0-1 [.308/.372/.641 season slash line]

    SEC Play On Deck

    The Gators will open conference play this weekend with a three-game home series against Mizzou. Florida prevailed in eight of its previous nine matchups against the Tigers dating back to 2017. Friday’s series opener is scheduled for 6 p.m.

  • LAX: Gators Rout Colgate; Major Conference Test Awaits

    LAX: Gators Rout Colgate; Major Conference Test Awaits

    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 8 ranked Gators (5-2) dominated on both sides of the ball in an 18-5 rout over the Colgate University Raiders (1-5) Tuesday night at Donald R. Dizney Stadium. Danielle Pavinelli opened the scoring for the Gators and the floodgates opened from there; where the Gators led 12-3 at the half.

    Madison Waters, Maggi Hall and Emily Heller all netted two goals apiece. Pavinelli, Paisley Eagan, Emma LoPinto, Kaitlyn Davies, Janine Suris, Sarah Mackey, Ashley Gonzalez, Jill Quigley, Gianna Monaco, Ava Tighe, Tayler Warehime and Kelly Schluederberg all scored one goal each for the Gators.

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    Goaltender Sarah Reznick anchored the defense in the first half, allowing only three goals and saving six shots. Elyse Finnelle played most of the second half in goal, with four saves and two goals allowed. Sara Grove played the final few minutes in goal, allowing none.

    Six Gators tallied assists in the contest, with LoPinto leading the way with three. Warehime and Monaco provided two, while Whitney Albert, Macy Zaban and Waters each had one.

    Pavinelli, Becky Browndorf, Emily Lortz and Finnelle each forced two turnovers in the Gator’s dominant performance on defense.

    The Gators look to carry their momentum into their opening game of American Athletic Conference play when they travel to take on No. 7 James Madison on Saturday. The game is set to begin at 12 p.m.