Tag: BT Riopelle

Two Gators named to 2023 SEC All-Tournament team

Florida fell in the semifinals of the 2023 SEC Tournament, but two Gators played well enough to claim a spot on the All-Tournament team.

The Florida Gators came up short of an SEC Tournament Championship this season, but the team still made plenty of noise through three games in Hoover. Two Gators in particular, catcher BT Riopelle and outfielder Wyatt Langford, earned All-Tournament nods for the performances, according to Gators Online.

Riopelle hit three massive home runs for the Gators, including a walk-off, three-run shot in extra innings and a go-ahead grand slam. Langford went 5 for 13 at the plate, including a home run and two doubles. He also scored three runs and drove in two more.

Langford is among the nation’s top draft prospects, so it’s unsurprising to see him shine on the SEC’s biggest stage. Riopelle, on the other hand, had struggled against the conference coming into the tournament. Getting Riopelle right just before the national tournament is a massive win for the Gators even if they came up short against the SEC.

Texas A&M had three players make the All-Tournament team, and Alabama, Auburn, Florida and Vanderbilt each had two representatives. Commodores second baseman RJ Austin was named the tournament MVP.

2023 SEC All-Tournament Team

P: Troy Wansing, Texas A&M
P: Justin Lamkin, Texas A&M
C: BT Riopelle, Florida
DH: Chris Maldonado, Vanderbilt
1B: Jack Moss, Texas A&M
2B: RJ Austin, Vanderbilt
3B: Bryson Ware, Auburn
SS: Cole Foster, Auburn
OF: Andrew Pinckney, Alabama
OF: Tommy Seidl, Alabama
OF: Wyatt Langford, Florida

Most Valuable Player: RJ Austin, Vanderbilt

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1369]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

BT Riopelle stays hot, Florida to SEC Tournament semis

Another day, another big home run (two, actually) for BT Riopelle. Florida’s backstop is on fire in Hoover, and it has the Gators locked into the SEC Tournament semifinals.

No matter what happens over the next three days of the 2023 SEC Tournament, Florida catcher [autotag]BT Riopelle[/autotag] will make the All-Tournament team.

If Riopelle’s three-run, walk-off home run against Alabama on Wednesday wasn’t enough, he hit a solo shot and a go-ahead grand slam to put Florida into the tournament semifinals on Thursday. The Orange and Blue won, 6-3.

“There were more Gator fans here than Vandy fans here tonight, so that kind of helped,” Riopelle said. “I’m just seeing the ball well. We’re seeing it well as a team right now. We could have done a little better tonight, but they had a bunch of really good dudes on the mound and we took advantage when it mattered.”

So far, only Florida and Arkansas have punched their tickets to the semifinals. LSU and Texas A&M will battle for the third spot, and Alabama and Vanderbilt will go at it for the final one.

Brandon Sproat got the start for the Gators in this one and went six innings, giving up just two earned runs. Enrique Bradfield Jr. started the game off with a triple and scored, but Sproat kept Vanderbilt quiet until the fifth. Jameson Fisher, Ryan Slater and Phillip Abner all pitched in relief, with Slater picking up the win and Abner the save.

Luke Heyman homered in the bottom of the first to tie the game up early and keep the momentum balanced.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1369]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Florida mercy rules Mizzou to kick off weekend series

Florida is back to its winning ways against the SEC. The Gators finished things in seven innings Friday night with an 11-1 win over the Missouri Tigers.

Florida looked dominant once again in an 11-1 win over Missouri Friday night that only needed seven innings to reach a conclusion.

[autotag]Brandon Sproat[/autotag] pitched a complete game, striking out seven over as many innings while allowing just three baserunners. His only walk of the night came in the top of the seventh, and he threw 70% strikes. The changeup was dynamite tonight and the fastball had some nice run on it early on.

The offense did most of the scoring in the second inning when both [autotag]Tyler Shlenut[/autotag] and [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] each hit three-run homers. Shelnut is getting his shot in right field in place of a struggling [autotag]Ty Evans[/autotag], and a 2 for 4 night with four RBIs should keep him there through Sunday.

Caglianone’s homer was his 24th of the year, and he is now three away from breaking the program record that Wyatt Langford tied a season ago. It’s not a question of if but when with Caglianone, and it might get done within the next week if he can stay hot.

[autotag]Michael Robertson[/autotag] hit his first collegiate home run, and everyone in the stadium was happy for him. Robertson is a fantastic center fielder with elite speed, but he’s not exactly a power hitter. He got a hold of this one, though, sending it 374 feet and 105 mph off the bat.

[autotag]BT Riopelle[/autotag] homered in the fifth and had a nice 2 for 3 night with a walk after struggling recently. If Riopelle can return to First Team All-SEC form just ahead of the playoffs, the Gators will be better for it and have a real shot at winning it all.

[autotag]Wyatt Langford[/autotag] drove in [autotag]Cade Kurland[/autotag] in the sixth, Riopelle scored on a wild pitch in the seventh and Shelnut walked it off with an RBI single to put the run rule into effect.

This was the kind of night Florida needed, even if it is against a Missouri team that might not be up to par with the rest of the SEC. The Gators are back at it on Saturday at noon to avoid some nasty weather coming in later in the day, so set your alarms!

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1369]

[mm-video type=video id=01gxxeqq2vhjmccteth4 playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gxxeqq2vhjmccteth4/01gxxeqq2vhjmccteth4-2346b84476bb420195db0f813431176e.jpg]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Florida comes alive late against UNF in tight midweek contest

Yoel Tejeda Jr. put together his best start of the season for Florida en route to a 6-2 win over the North Florida Ospreys. BT Riopelle and Luke Heyman each had two runs batted in.

The Florida Gators got back to their winning ways Tuesday night, 6-2, but the offense didn’t explode as many expected them to.

[autotag]Yoel Tejada Jr[/autotag]. delivered his best start of the season, allowing zero runs across four innings of work. He ran into trouble a few times but got timely strikeouts and ground balls to get out of whatever jam he found himself in.

Tejeda could have easily set a new career-high in innings pitched or strikeouts had he come out in the fifth, but Kevin O’Sullivan isn’t in the business of overusing arms.

Unfortunately, [autotag]Nick Ficarrotta[/autotag] struggled in the fifth and gave up a pair of runs. That’s all North Florida would get to him for, but it’s a blemish an otherwise decent outing.

Ficarrotta sat the Ospreys down in order in the sixth, but he was removed after surrendering a leadoff walk in the seventh. Left-hander [autotag]Phillp Abner[/autotag] took over and got out of the inning without any trouble, but he struggled in the eighth giving up back-to-back singles.

[autotag]Ryan Slater [/autotag]saved Abner with a strikeout and a lazy fly out into shallow left field.

Florida’s bullpen was overall shaky Tuesday night, but the same can’t be said about North Florida’s relievers. Tony Roca entered the game with an earned run average above 9.20, but he kept the Gators hitless for three-straight innings.

UF finally got to him in the eighth. [autotag]Wyatt Langford[/autotag] produced a leadoff single, and Josh Rivera walked before [autotag]BT Riopelle[/autotag] came up with a much-needed RBI single. Riopelle has been in a slump and striking out a ton, so it’s good to see him get one after a really tough series against South Carolina.

Riopelle’s RBI single was technically an insurance run since Florida had been leading all game, but it had been half a ball game since the Gators last scored and felt a whole lot bigger. Rivera singled, [autotag]Luke Heyman[/autotag] homered (8) and Riopelle got a lucky sacrifice fly RBI on a foul out in the third to give Florida the three early runs.

Heyman came through in the eighth after Riopelle for an RBI single of his own, so it was a big day for the catchers altogether. [autotag]Colby Halter[/autotag] added another to the lead with a sacrifice fly, but that was all UF could muster up.

Slater finished off the ninth, stranding a man a third base on a game-ending fly out to the warning track.

Florida hosts Missouri over the weekend starting on Friday at 7 p.m. EDT.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1369]

[mm-video type=video id=01gx94pxqe03mfq0zz2n playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gx94pxqe03mfq0zz2n/01gx94pxqe03mfq0zz2n-0df03c73eac23f1e2c6c21c1e45ca027.jpg]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Major takeaways from Florida’s humbling series loss to South Carolina

The Gators left Columbia, South Carolina with a bitter taste in their mouths after going 0-3 against the Gamecocks, but it’s how Florida responds to an ugly series that matters most.

For the first weekend in 2023, it was tough to be a Florida baseball fan.

The Gators were swept on the road by the South Carolina Gamecocks by scores of 13-3 (7), 5-2 and 7-5 in a three-game set that ran from Thursday to Saturday. It’s UF’s first series loss of the season and moves the club to 31-10 overall and 11-7 in SEC play.

The Florida pitching staff left a lot to be desired this weekend. Things seem to go downhill as soon as Kevin O’Sullivan turned to the bullpen, and the offense couldn’t do much until late in the final game of the series.

This might be the worst Florida fans will feel all season long, but that’s dependent on whether or not a team capable of competing for a national championship adjust after getting smacked in the mouth.

It’s ugly to go over, but there is no need for Gator Nation to sense doom and gloom. Florida is still a top-five program in the country that simply ran into a buzzsaw.

Gators drop Game 2, series against South Carolina

Is this how the other teams feel when Florida beats them every weekend? The Gators dropped Game 2 and the series against South Carolina Friday night, 5-2.

Florida suffered a consecutive loss for the first time this season Friday night as the South Carolina Gamecocks outplayed the Gators in a 5-2 series-clinching win.

Hurston Waldrep started on the mound for UF and saw his streak of consecutive quality starts end at three as the Gamecocks got to him for five runs through the first two innings. First baseman Cole Messina homered in the first with a man on and Golden Spikes candidate/right fielder Ethan Petry hit a three-run shot in the second inning.

Waldrep settled in and retired the lineup in order over the next three innings. He’d run into some trouble again in the sixth with men on the corners, but he struck out the side after convincing Sully to let him stay in.

The bullpen did its job, too. [autotag]Clete Hartzog[/autotag] and [autotag]Blake Purnell[/autotag] pitched a clean seventh and eighth, respectively, but Florida’s offense couldn’t score runs when it needed it to most.

The Gators left men on base in all but the first and eighth innings. [autotag]BT Riopelle[/autotag] struck out with two men in on in the seventh, which felt like th defining moment of the game, and there’s really nothing to do here but tip your hat to South Carolina.

The Gamecocks looked like the better club all around on Friday and Saturday. A true freshman led the offense against two potential first-round arms, both starters did their job against one of the most dangerous lineups in the country and the bullpen looked elite.

Florida is still a national-championship caliber club, but the Gamecocks are serious as well and will threaten to beat any team in the postseason. UF needs to rebound from these two games on Saturday and put it to SCAR, just as Tennessee did after suffering two convincing losses against Florida two weeks ago.

If you’re looking for a silver lining, [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] hit another home run and is just three away from tying the school record.

The final game of the series begins at 2 p.m.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1369 tag=4067]

[mm-video type=video id=01gxxeqq2vhjmccteth4 playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gxxeqq2vhjmccteth4/01gxxeqq2vhjmccteth4-2346b84476bb420195db0f813431176e.jpg]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Gators walk it off against Georgia to even up series

Florida and Georgia played another game that was decided in the ninth inning, but this time it was the Gators who came out on top.

After a 24-run affair on Friday night, Florida and Georgia combined to score just three in the second game of their weekend series on Saturday. The Gators came out on top, 2-1, thanks to a walk-off RBI single from center fielder [autotag]Michael Robertson[/autotag].

Second baseman [autotag]Cade Kurland[/autotag] got the winning rally started for Florida drawing a four-pitch walk from Georgia right-hander Chandler Marsh. Third baseman [autotag]Colby Halter[/autotag] found the gap in the very next about to send Kurland around third, but the base coach threw up the stop sign and delayed the celebration.

[autotag]Richie Schiekofer[/autotag] pinch hit for right fielder [autotag]Matt Prevesk[/autotag], who came into the game during the fifth inning for an injured [autotag]Ty Evans[/autotag]. Schiekofer grounded out softly to first, but Robertson was ready to play the hero. He found the same gap in right-center that Halter did, and Kurland strutted into home to tie up the series.

After Friday night’s disastrous finish, Hurston Waldrep did everything he could to give the Gators a chance. He needed just 99 pitches to get through seven innings, and Waldrep was furious when Kevin O’Sullivan told him he wasn’t coming out to set a new career-high at Florida.

Waldrep struck out eight and was in control all night. He carved up the Georgia lineup with his splitter and pitched to contact when he needed to induce a double-play ball. The only blemish of the night was a leadoff double from Harber in the fifth that scored on a sacrifice bunt.

Florida tied things up almost immediately in the sixth with a pair of doubles from [autotag]Josh Rivera[/autotag] and [autotag]BT Riopelle[/autotag]. Until then, Florida had been held hitless by UGA lefty Charlie Goldstein, who might have earned himself a permanent spot in the weekend rotation with the performance. Goldstein struck out seven and went five strong innings against the No. 3 team in the country. That deserves to be noticed, even in a loss.

[autotag]Ryan Slater[/autotag] was the only arm out of the bullpen for Florida, and he was lights out en route to earning win No. 5 on the season.

Offensively, things were pretty quiet. Halter was the only Gator with multiple hits and the duo of [autotag]Wyatt Langford[/autotag] and [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] combined to go 0 for 8 with four strikeouts. Not great, but there’s always Sunday to bounce back.

The Gators and Bulldogs go at 1 p.m. to decide the regular-season series.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1369]

[mm-video type=video id=01gxxeqq2vhjmccteth4 playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gxxeqq2vhjmccteth4/01gxxeqq2vhjmccteth4-2346b84476bb420195db0f813431176e.jpg]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Gators drop series opener to Georgia following ugly ninth

Florida’s bullpen has been really strong after receiving some early-season criticism, but disaster struck in the eighth and ninth innings Friday night against Georgia.

Florida had everything in place to get its first win over Georgia in two years, but disaster struck in the ninth and the Gators couldn’t recover from a 13-11 final score.

[autotag]Brandon Sproat[/autotag] got the start for the Gators and went seven innings strong against UGA, struggling only in the third inning. A leadoff walk came back to haunt Sproat as Georgia’s best hitter, Charlie Condon, blasted a two-run homer later in the inning. Three runs were scored in total in the frame, but Sproat kept things quiet for the next three innings.

Condon got to him against for a solo shot in the sixth, but that was the only other hit Sproat gave up all day. [autotag]Phillip Abner[/autotag] came in to pitch the seventh for Florida, but he struggled more than he usually does. Condon hit another two-run shot, his third homer of the day, off Abner in the eighth. It’s only the second time this season he’s given up runs, but it couldn’t have come at a worse time.

[autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] came in to close out the game, but Kevin O’Sullivan’s top bullpen arms simply weren’t at their best tonight. Georgia loaded the bases and Connor Tate launched a grand slam before Condon could even get up to bat. A ground-rule double two batters later gave the Bulldogs the lead, and UGA tacked on two more for good measure

Florida scored fine throughout the day. [autotag]Cade Kurland[/autotag] answered a loud third from Georgia with a salami of his own, and [autotag]Luke Heyman[/autotag] also went deep with the bases loaded in the sixth. [autotag]Josh Rivera[/autotag] also drove in a run during each of those innings, raising his team-high total to 49.

They got the bases loaded again in the ninth with Rivera at the plate, but he could only produce a sacrifice fly to score [autotag]Michael Robertson[/autotag]. [autotag]BT Riopelle[/autotag] drew a full count and was hit for the third time to load the bases back up. Riopelle reached six times on the night, all on free bases.

Unfortunately, Luke Heyman couldn’t hit his second grand slam of the day and struck out to give Georgia the win.

There’s no doubt that Florida will come out with some anger after letting this one slip away from the school’s biggest rival. The Bulldogs aren’t a powerhouse in this sport, yet they have taken nine of the last 11 from the Gators. Something has to change Saturday night.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1369]

[mm-video type=video id=01gxxeqq2vhjmccteth4 playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gxxeqq2vhjmccteth4/01gxxeqq2vhjmccteth4-2346b84476bb420195db0f813431176e.jpg]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Florida claims Game 1 against No. 11 Tennessee

Brandon Sproat bounced back from an ugly start against Auburn with a strong outing against No. 11 Tennessee on Thursday.

A pair of back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning sealed the deal for Florida, as the Gators went into Knoxville and took game one of a three-game set with the Tennessee Volunteers on Thursday night, 6-1.

[autotag]Josh Rivera[/autotag] delivered a three-run blast to extend a one-run lead, and [autotag]BT Riopelle[/autotag] followed that up with a solo shot to left field. Both of those homers came off right-hander Seth Halvorsen. Neither club scored over the remaining four innings of the game thanks to strong outings by both bullpens (excluding Halvorsen).

Florida’s two other runs came off a [autotag]Michael Robertson[/autotag] RBI single in the second and a [autotag]Cade Kurland[/autotag] home run in the fourth. Kurland finished 2 for 4 after starting off conference play with a sub .250 average. [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] also had a two-hit day, but he didn’t drive in any runs.

Kevin O’Sullivan went with a different lineup than usual for this game. He had [autotag]Wyatt Langford[/autotag], Caglianone, Rivera and Riopelle filling out the first four spots in the order, and [autotag]Luke Heyman[/autotag] and [autotag]Cade Kurland[/autotag] in the five and six holes.

Langford excelled in the leadoff spot last year, and he was able to draw a pair of walks on Thursday despite ending the night 0 for 3. Sully might be on to something with this new lineup theory. Chase Dollander cruised through the first inning of the game, but Florida was getting to him by the fourth with its best hitters seeing him for a second time earlier than usual.

[autotag]Brandon Sproat[/autotag] got his typical Friday start and was much sharper than he was a week ago against Auburn. He struck out nine Vols through 5 2/3 innings, giving up just one run on four hits and four walks. The free bases aren’t ideal, but it’s hard to knock a guy who earned the win and was one out away from a quality start.

Tennessee’s lineup was incredibly strikeout prone all night, finishing the evening with 18 K’s. The Volunteers’ three and four hitters, Christian Moore and Jared Dickey, finished the night with a combined seven strikeouts.

[autotag]Phillip Abner[/autotag] continued his spectacular sophomore campaign with 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, where he struck out six batters and allowed just three baserunners (two hits, one hit batter). Abner has become Florida’s best reliever and is virtually a lock to pitch a clean inning or two whenever he comes out.

[autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] closed out the ninth for Florida. He ran into a little trouble, walking two and allowing a base hit, but he ended up striking out the side.

Tennessee’s lone run of the night came on a Blake Burke homer in the second, which briefly tied the game.

Game 2 is set to begin at 7 p.m. EDT on Friday night.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1369]

[mm-video type=video id=01gxb4dv2ecnv7fn52gb playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gxb4dv2ecnv7fn52gb/01gxb4dv2ecnv7fn52gb-b15d3c6ba4832f51fd07f639374ba454.jpg]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Florida baseball bounces back, beats Auburn on Saturday

Here’s a quick summary of how Florida’s Saturday night win went down.

Florida baseball earned a bounce-back win over the visiting Auburn Tigers on Saturday night at Condron Family Ballpark in Gainesville, Florida, holding off their Southeastern Conference foes for a 12-5 win to even up the three-game weekend series.

The Gators came out flat again on the mound for the second-straight game, but this time, after coughing up an early run in the top of the first they answered with two to take the first lead of the series. [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] his Division 1-leading 18th home run of the season with [autotag]Wyatt Langford[/autotag] at first after reaching on a single, and the Gators did not look back.

Both teams added to their totals in the third inning but Florida’s five-spot in contrast with Auburn’s two-run effort gave the home team a four-run cushion, to which the Orange and Blue added another in the bottom of the sixth to give them a five-run advantage.

The Tigers, however, proved they would not be easily tamed, answering back with a two-run effort in the top of the seventh in what could have been far more disastrous. Starter [autotag]Hurston Waldrep[/autotag] was replaced between frames after hitting the 100-pitch mark en route to a 10-strikeout evening while allowing three earned runs on four hits and six walks. He gave way to [autotag]Nick Ficarrotta[/autotag], who loaded the bases but ultimately escaped the jam after surrendering that pair of runs.

Florida answered again in the bottom half with three more runs, but the rally was cut short by a pitch violation strikeout on [autotag]BT Riopelle[/autotag] to end the inning. Still, Auburn simply could not keep up with the Gators’ bats as [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag]’s team continued to respond to their opponents’ efforts with even more runs of their own.

The Gators added one more to the tally in the bottom of the eighth, and in the process, put up their season-best 19 hits. The Tigers threatened in the final frame of the game, but reliever [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] closed the curtains with a two-plus-inning effort that saw two hits, one walk and three strikeouts to seal the deal and earn the save.

The two tangle for a third time in the rubber match on Sunday at 1 p.m. EDT at Condron Family Ballpark, with the game slated for broadcast on the SEC Network and can be heard on ESPN 98.1FM/850AM WRUF.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1369]

[mm-video type=video id=01gwzk0qw6chhq5fzk2d playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gwzk0qw6chhq5fzk2d/01gwzk0qw6chhq5fzk2d-539406adf053c8f8f76bfe2f1d954976.jpg]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.