Tag: Ashton Wilson

Florida headed to College World Series in Clemson after 13-inning thriller

In the most dramatic way possible, Florida claimed its spot in Omaha on Sunday night as the Gators took down the Clemson Tigers to advance to the College World Series.

Against all odds, the Florida Gators are headed back to Omaha.

Despite a 28-27 finish to the season, including the SEC Tournament, Florida managed to make it out of the Stillwater Regional over Oklahoma State, Nebraska and Niagara and then won the Clemson Super Regional without allowing the Tigers to take a game at home.

Florida, playing as the home team, won a 13-inning thriller off the bat of center fielder [autotag]Michael Robertson[/autotag]. Clemson scored in the top of the final frame to take the lead, but Florida’s offense did what they do best — come back to win a big game.

Robertson’s liner to left-center slowed Clemson’s outfielders to an eventual stop as they realized their season was coming to an end. Jaylen Guy scored the tying run pinch-running for [autotag]Luke Heyman[/autotag] and [autotag]Tyler Shelnut[/autotag] made the Gators winners.

Heyman and Shelnut both singled to spark the late rally, but [autotag]Dale Thomas[/autotag]’ sacrifice bunt set up the winning moment. [autotag]Brody Donay[/autotag], who homered in the sixth, was intentionally walked to take away the squeeze bunt, but Robertson came through in the clutch.

It’s a full-circle moment for Robertson, who started the season as one of the SEC’s best center fielders. A slump at the plate moved him into a platoon situation with Guy, but he reclaimed the full-time role by season’s end, partially due to injuries.

[autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] went 5 2/3 innings for Florida on the mound and tied his program record for home runs with his 33rd. When Caglianone handed the ball over in the sixth, he was in line for the win and Florida had a 7-4 lead.

[autotag]Jake Clemente[/autotag] was first out of the bullpen and looked dominant in the seventh striking out the side, but trouble in the eighth moved [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag] to bring in closer [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] despite the four innings he threw on Saturday.

Two runs crossed, making it a one-run game, but Neely got them right back courtesy of an [autotag]Ashton Wilson[/autotag] two-run shot that punished Clemson after intentionally walking Caglianone.

Neely was running out of gas, though, and a three-run homer from center fielder Cam Cannarella in the top of the ninth put extra innings in play.

Wilson nearly walked it off in the 10th with a ball to the fence, but Cannarella saved Clemson’s season again with a Willie Mays basket catch to end the frame.

[autotag]Luke McNeillie[/autotag] earned the win, pitching the final two innings for Florida. [autotag]Frank Menendez[/autotag] walked the only batter he faced between him and Neely.

The College World Series begins on Friday, June 14. Florida awaits the completion of the other Super Regionals. So far, Florida State, North Carolina and Virginia are in the field.

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Florida takes down No. 6 Clemson in super regional opener

Down three on the road against the No. 6 team in the country, Jac Caglianone blasted his 31st homer of the season to spark another comeback win for the Florida Gators.

Far from perfect, the Florida Gators battled back against the No. 6 Clemson Tigers on Saturday to claim the first game of a best-of-three series, 10-7, moving within one win of a second straight College World Series appearance.

[autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] shifted the momentum of the game in the fifth inning with a three-run, game-tying home run. He knew it off the bat and jogged around the bases for the 32nd time this season, one shy of his program-record mark from a year ago.

The homer knotted the game at five runs apiece, but Florida left the frame with a four-run lead after plating seven. Caglianone cleared the bases with no outs on the board, allowing the offense to trade a pair of outs for the lead — [autotag]Dale Thomas[/autotag] scored [autotag]Colby Shelton[/autotag] on a fielder’s choice and [autotag]Brody Donay[/autotag] got a sacrifice bunt down. Thomas scored the final run of the inning off a Michael Robertson single.

Before that, Clemson had complete control of the game. Freshman right-hander [autotag]Liam Peterson[/autotag] struggled mightily in his first super regional appearance. He lasted just an inning after giving up two of three runs on wild pitches.

[autotag]Fisher Jameson[/autotag] took over in relief, pitching through the fifth. Although he was mostly effective, Jameson gave up a pair of solo home runs, deepening the hole. He came back out for the sixth after getting a lead but got the hook after losing the leadoff batter. [autotag]Cade Fisher[/autotag] got to see one batter, but Kevin O’Sullivan pulled him after a single put men on first and third.

With trouble brewing, Sully turned to his closer, [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag], who shut down the Tigers lineup for four innings. He struck out seven of the 13 batters he faced, including three straight in the eighth. It’s a shame that he’ll end the season with only a handful of saves — tonight was his fourth — because he’s one of the game’s elite closers, especially in the playoffs.

Clemson scored two in the sixth as Neely worked out of that jam, but Luke Heyman got one back in the ninth with a solo shot. [autotag]Tyler Shelnut[/autotag] also went deep in the fourth, and [autotag]Ashton Wilson[/autotag] drove in the first run of the day for Florida with a sac fly in the third.

Florida will be the home team on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET. A win sends the Gators to Omaha again, but a loss means a Game 3.

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Ashton Wilson named regional MVP, 5 Gators named to All-Tournament

Florida is leaving Stillwater as regional champions, so it’s no surprise to see a handful of Gators on the NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team.

Florida’s championship run at the Stillwater Regional has five Gators on the All-Tournament Team, including outfielder [autotag]Ashton Wilson[/autotag] who took home MVP honors.

He hit .429 (9-for-21) in Stillwater after riding the bench for most of the season. Injuries to junior [autotag]Ty Evans[/autotag] and freshman [autotag]Hayden Yost[/autotag] propelled Wilson into the starting lineup during the team’s final regular-season series against Georgia.

Wilson’s breakout game came in the opener against Nebraska. He had a homer and three doubles, driving in three of his six RBIs on the weekend.

Joining Wilson on the All-Tournament Team are Florida first baseman [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag], third baseman [autotag]Dale Thomas[/autotag], shortstop [autotag]Colby Shelton[/autotag] and pitcher [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag].

Neely was dominant in relief in first regional championship game against Oklahoma State. He struck out 11 and allowed just one hit after taking over in the fourth inning.

Caglianone went 6-for-17 (.353) with a pair of home runs and five runs batted in. Shelton also blasted a pair of homers en route to seven RBI, and Thomas had a three-hit game facing elimination against Nebraska.

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Florida completes regional comeback, upsets Oklahoma State to advance

The Florida Gators are regional champions and will face Clemson in a three-game super regional series.

A month ago, Florida hardly looked like an NCAA Tournament team, but a switch flipped during the Georgia series and the Gators are now headed to the super regionals after taking down regional host Oklahoma State, 4-2, on Monday night.

Florida had already played four games over the weekend, so pitching depth was thin coming into the game. Redshirt freshman [autotag]Jake Clemente[/autotag] and true freshmen left-hander [autotag]Frank Menendez[/autotag] kept the Cowboys quiet enough through 5 2/3 innings, setting the table for junior [autotag]Fisher Jameson[/autotag] to slam the door shut.

Menendez earned his first win of the season, and Clemente was solid in his second start of the year. The Cowboys made solid contact off him a few times but it took until the fourth inning to score off him.

Clemente didn’t have his best stuff, walking three batters to just two strikeouts, but he left the game with a lead in the fourth. Aidan Meola doubled in a run, bringing out [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag] to make the switch.

Florida’s early lead came from the two most unlikely heroes in the lineup. [autotag]Ashton Wilson[/autotag] continued his regional run for the ages with a liner to right-center that scored both [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Robertson[/autotag] in the third. Robertson added another run in the fourth with a poke to left field, beating the shift.

[autotag]Frank Menendez[/autotag] was first out of the bullpen, making his first appearance for the Gators since May 16. He went a career-high 2 1/3 innings, but it wasn’t without drama.

Menendez came into the game with two men on but got a pair of fly balls with his changeup, which even had O’Sullivan doling out some praise during the in-game interview. It’s the same pitch he used to strike out Meola in the fifth, capping off an escape from a bases-loaded jam with no outs.

Sully also said he needed to use Menendez as long as he could, bringing him back out for the sixth. A two-out walk ended his day, but he delivered the bullpen performance Florida needed in the biggest game of the year. A run on a sacrifice fly is a small price to pay considering the circumstances.

[autotag]Tyler Shelnut[/autotag] added an insurance run with a monster home run to left center in the bottom of the sixth, his 14th of the season.

Fisher Jameson came in after Menendez and did his best Branon Neely impression. He made sure Sully couldn’t take the ball from him by retiring all 10 batters he faced without a blemish. Perfection when it was needed most.

Jameson struck out four, including the final batter of the day, igniting a celebration back in Gainesville and sending the Oklahoma State fans home with disappointment across their faces.

It wasn’t easy to come out on top in Stillwater, but Florida got the pitching performances it needed to make it to the Supers. Clemson is next. Best of two out of three, starting on Friday or Saturday.

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Florida forces Game 7 at Stillwater Regional behind Neely’s shutdown performance

The Brandon Neely game will never be forgotten. Florida baseball at its finest.

It looked like Florida would have to battle all night to come out on top against Oklahoma State and force a Game 7 in Stillwater, but [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] and [autotag]Colby Shelton[/autotag] came up big in a 5-2 win that should go down as one of the best Gators baseball games all season.

Neely gets the nod for player of the game after hurling 5 2/3 innings of one-hit ball in relief of Florida starter [autotag]Cade Fisher[/autotag]. Freshman [autotag]Luke McNeillie[/autotag] came in between the two but walked the only batter he faced.

Nerves understandably got to the first-year arm, but Neely lives for the moments where it’s all adrenaline and no brakes. He struck out 11 of the 21 batters he faced, recording seven straight outs via the punchout at one point.

Neely’s fastball ran up to 96 mph, and he was painting a somewhat generous strike zone that had the hometown fans irate. Florida struggled with the wide zone, too. Every Gators starter, aside from [autotag]Ashton Wilson[/autotag], struck out at least once.

Shelton is the runner-up for player of the game, but he probably had the bigger moment putting the Gators up with a three-run homer in the sixth. It’s been a rough second half of the year for Shelton at the plate, but he’s picking up steam at the right time.

[autotag]Luke Heyman[/autotag] added an insurance run later in that inning, scoring on a wild pitch.

Although there is much to celebrate, Florida’s job isn’t finished. To make it out of Stillwater as regional champions, the Gators must beat the Cowboys again on Monday at 3 p.m. ET. Both teams are running low on pitching after reaching Day 4 of play, so it’s anyone’s game to win.

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Ashton Wilson’s career day puts Florida over Nebraska in regional opener

Liam Peterson shoves, Ashton Wilson explodes for four extra-base hits and Florida advances to the region’s winner’s bracket. Pretty good way to close out the week for the Orange and Blue.

Florida rode the bat of sophomore outfielder Ashton Wilson to a 5-2 win over Nebraska on Friday, putting the Gators in the winner’s bracket of the Stillwater Regional in the NCAA Baseball Tournament.

Wilson doubled three times and homered in the ninth for a big insurance run. His 10 total bases on the day more than double his season total (9) coming into the game.

“(My confidence level) wasn’t the highest thing in the world (coming into the game),” Wilson said after the game. “I was trying to pass it to the next guy, keep the train moving.”

After 10 total bases on Friday, “it’s definitely higher, no doubt about it.”

Three of Florida’s five runs can be tied directly back to Wilson, but the other two scored off the bat of sophomore second baseman Cade Kurland. He set the tone early with a leadoff home run and delivered again in the eighth to extend a one-run lead.

[autotag]Liam Peterson[/autotag]’s ability to pitch in a big game might have been under question coming into this one, but the freshman right-hander answered any doubts by coming just two outs shy of a quality start — six full innings and three or fewer earned runs.

Peterson started the game with some jitters, which is reasonable for a 19-year-old who celebrated a high school state championship around this time last year. He gave up a run in the first inning but settled down until the sixth after that.

The fastball-changeup mix played well for Peterson all night. He froze several Huskers with his heater, which ran up to 97 mph early on. Nebraska finally knocked him out of the game in the sixth with a solo home run to pull things within one run, but 5 1/3 innings is good work from the first-year Gator.

Peterson didn’t get a ton of run support from Florida. A leadoff home run from Cade Kurland made the first-inning mistakes more palatable, and a two-run double from Wilson in the third gave UF the lead right back.

Fisher Jameson was first out of the bullpen and allowed a two-out single in the sixth after a quick punchout. Luke Heyman erased that base knock with a rifle down to second to catch the runner stealing, a pivotal moment in the game.

Jameson got the first two outs of the seventh. Then, Kevin O’Sullivan turned to his closer, Brandon Neely, for a seven-out save.

Neely got the final out of the seventh with three pitches, but the eighth was a nightmare for him. A pair of groundballs through the right side put the go-ahead run at the plate with just one out, and a close call on a full-count slider at the top of the strike zone loaded the bases.

A line out to center field came in shallow enough to hold the runner at third, and Neely escaped the jam by blowing an elevated, 96-mph fastball by Dylan Carey.

Risking the double play could have been disastrous for Nebraska, especially while needing two runs to tie it, but ending the inning without any runs made holding the runner at third the wrong call in hindsight.

Kurland gave Florida an insurance run to work with in the eighth, singling in  Dale Thomas, and Wilson added to his monster day with a towering home run to left field. The ball hit the scoreboard, just missing Wilson’s name.

Neely returned for the ninth and got through it with just seven pitches. A quick fly out to center field for out No. 1, and a 6-4-3 double play to end it after a one-out single. It took a lengthy review — the third of the day — but a confirmation only meant that Florida got to celebrate the win twice.

On Saturday, Florida will play the winner of the Oklahoma State-Niagara matchup that begins at 7 p.m. ET Friday night.

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Florida evens series with Georgia, keeps NCAA Tournament hopes alive

The win guarantees Kevin O’Sullivan’s team at least a .500 record before the postseason begins.

The final series of the regular season for Florida baseball against the Georgia Bulldogs is tied at one game apiece thanks to a 7-4 extra-inning victory by the Gators at Foley Field in Athens. The win guarantees [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag]’s team at least a .500 record before the postseason begins.

Starter [autotag]Liam Peterson[/autotag] went 5 1/3 innings in this one, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out four before turning things over to the bullpen. [autotag]Luke McNellie[/autotag] then came in, walking one and hitting another batter before [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] settled things down for 4 2/3 innings of work allowing a run on two hits while striking out six for the win.

[autotag]Cade Kurland[/autotag] (1-for-5) and [autotag]Luke Heyman[/autotag] (1-for-5) were the heroes in this one saving things for later in the game after both getting off to slow starts. Kurland tied the game in the eighth with a two-out, two-run home run and Heyman’s three-run blast in the 10th provided the final margin of victory for the Orange and Blue.

[autotag]Michael Robertson[/autotag] (3-for-4) and [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] (3-for-4) both had productive days at the plate with their three hits, including a double apiece. [autotag]Tyler Shelnut[/autotag] (1-for-4) and [autotag]Ashton Wilson[/autotag] (1-for-5) also made it to base with balls in play.

The two Southeastern Conference foes wrap up the regular-season schedule on Saturday afternoon with the first pitch slated for 2 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network+.

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Florida can’t complete comeback, drops series to Kentucky

Florida submitted another bid for a comeback win against an SEC opponent, but the Kentucky Wildcats won the 10th and final frame of the game (and series).

Florida battled back from a three-run deficit against Kentucky on Sunday to force extra innings but the 10th frame was unkind to the Gators who fell, 7-5, and dropped a sixth straight series for the first time during the [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag] era.

The Wildcats plated the only three runs of the first six innings, scoring first on an error in center field, then on a single and again on a ground out. [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] wasn’t his sharpest early on, getting in several 2-0 counts. Still, he worked into the seventh inning and delivered a quality start.

It’s hard to deny that Cags is a legitimate two-way prospect with the draft only two months away. His command is much more refined and he’s learning how to really draw the swing and miss with his secondaries — notwithstanding today’s three-strikeout performance.

Florida finally got on the board in the bottom of the seventh off a pinch-hit double from [autotag]Ashton Wilson[/autotag]. Two runs scored, pulling UF within one run. Before Wilson’s double, Kentucky starter Mason Moore had retired 11 straight batters.

[autotag]Jake Clemente[/autotag] was the first arm out of the bullpen for Florida. He faced five batters before handing the ball over to [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] in the eighth. Neely held the score at 3-2 in the ninth and [autotag]Tyler Shlenut[/autotag] tied things up in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run — No. 13 on the year.

O’Sullivan decided to stick it out with his closer in the 10th. Most relievers don’t get more than two innings, but Neely is a starter-closer hybrid who can usually go four or five strong, if needed. The Wildcats got to him immediately, putting the first two men on the corners.

A walk loaded the bases, but Neely had a chance to get out of it after drawing a foul out. He got the ground ball he needed, but it was hit softly between second and the mound. Neely laid out to make a play, but Caglianone also went for it leaving first base uncovered. Everyone advances. Kentucky leads, 4-3.

A strikeout brought Neely closer to getting out of the jam without much damage, but a double over Shelnut’s head in right cleared the bases. Shelnut got a bad jump on it, but the ball probably clears him no matter what.

Neely hit the next batter, forcing Sully to the bullpen. Luke McNeillie struck out the only batter he faced to end the top of the 10th.

Caglianone singled to start off the bottom of the frame and eventually scored on a Hayden Yost double down the left-field line. [autotag]Colby Shelton[/autotag] also scored on Yost’s double, but Landon Russell struck out to end the game as a pinch hitter for [autotag]Michael Robertson[/autotag] (defensive replacement for Guy Wilson).

With the loss, Florida’s record is now 26-25 with three games remaining against the Georgia Bulldogs. Florida must finish the season with a .500 record or better to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. This is a must-win series.

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Florida baseball adding former Charleston Southern UTIL

Former Charleston Southern utility man Ashton Wilson is transferring to the University of Florida to give the Gators some depth.

The latest transfer to commit to Florida’s baseball program is former Charleston Southern utility man [autotag]Ashton Wilson[/autotag], according to Swamp247.

Wilson slashed .252/.380/.358 as a freshman for the Buccaneers, hitting three home runs and driving 20 runs over 36 starts. Defensively, he fills some holes in Florida’s depth chart that have lingered since the draft. He started off at first base with Charleston Southern, tested out all three outfield positions and finally settled in as the Bucs’ starting third baseman.

Although capable, it’s unlikely Wilson ever plays any of the positions up the middle for Florida. Cade Kurland and Colby Shelton are likely to hold down the starting infield spots, and it takes elite speed to play center field in the SEC.

Still, Wilson could be a viable option at either corner outfield position or third base  — Dale Thomas. There’s a chance he fills in at first when Jac Caglianone is pitching, but Luke Heyman might be a better option there with two new catchers in the fold.

Either way, Wilson should compete for playing time wherever Florida struggled offensively. Being able to fit in wherever needed defensively should help get him opportunities.

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