Florida got the last laugh in Baton Rouge this weekend as the Gators defeated the LSU Tigers, 12-2, via the mercy rule on Sunday to win an important three-game series.
Jac Caglianone didn’t have his best stuff, but he went seven innings strong for Florida. Caglianone struggled with command, walking five batters. He struck out five to even the ratio and only gave up two earned runs (one earned). Somehow, Caglianone improved on the 1.77 ERA he had coming into this game.
“Experience and comfortability,” Caglianone said when asked what’s changed for him over the past season. “When I have an offense like this to kind of back me up on Sundays, there’s no better feeling than knowing you have a two-run lead and you’ve just got to hold it.
“Keep the composure, not let anything spiral and that’s kind of what we did. We took care of it today.”
Florida’s bats caught fire in the fifth, leading to a six-spot on the scoreboard. Colby Shelton and Cade Kurland hit two-run homers, and Luke Heyman drove in two more with a double. Shelton homered again in the sixth, putting him in a five-way tie for fourth-most in the country with 12 on the year.
Ty Evans, Jac Caglianone and Shelnut hit back-to-back-to-back homers in the eighth. With the run rule in effect, Florida’s closer Brandon Neely came in to close out the win. He struck out the first two batters on six pitches but missed the immaculate inning on the ninth pitch.
A grounder to end the game early is just as good, though, and Florida takes the series after things looked bleak halfway through Game 2 on Saturday.
The lineup change Kevin O’Sullivan initiated after Game 1 seemed to really affect the team. Maintaining that energy moving forward will be key. Peaking at the beginning of SEC play is still a reality with so much competition around the league.
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