Tag: Cade Kurland

Six Gators among D1Baseball’s top 150 college draft prospects

Florida’s baseball program regularly produces pro talent, and the 2025 roster is loaded with players who could be drafted over the summer.

A handful of Florida Gators hear their name called every draft cycle, typically a few inside the first five rounds. The 2025 class looks to be no different with six Gators on D1Baseball’s list of the Top 150 College Draft Prospects ahead of the spring season.

Shortstop [autotag]Colby Shelton[/autotag] (63rd), right-hander [autotag]Jake Clemente[/autotag] (79th), left-hander [autotag]Pierce Coppola[/autotag] (101st), infielder/outfielder [autotag]Blake Cyr[/autotag] (113th), second baseman [autotag]Cade Kurland[/autotag] (125th) and catcher/first baseman/outfielder [autotag]Brody Donay[/autotag] (150th) all made the cut.

Florida baseball fans should be familiar with five of those six names from last season, the lone addition being Cyr, who transferred from Miami.

No. 63: SS Colby Shelton

Shelton transferred to Florida ahead of the 2024 season from Alabama, with the promise of being the Gators’ everyday shortstop instead of being shifted to third base by the Crimson Tide. Defensively, Shelton impressed but still has work to do to remain at short in the pros. MLB teams interested in him might view him more as an offensive second baseman come draft time.

Offensively, Shelton will enter the 2025 season as Florida’s most feared bat and hit in the middle of the lineup. He has a chance to lead the team in home runs, with power being his most projectable tool.

It’s notable that a .254/.375/.551 slash line and setting the program record for homers by a shortstop (20) last season was viewed as disappointing, but the dip from a .300/.419/.729 freshman year can be attributed to a flatter swing and focus on defense. The flattened swing resulted in a 4% increase in line drives, but he also hit the ball on the ground 6% more often. Getting that flyball rate back up above 50% should help his numbers in a metal-bat league.

After shining offensively as a freshman and defensively as a sophomore, Shelton’s junior year is the time to put it all together. Areas of focus will be cutting down on a career 25.6% strikeout rate and returning to form in isolated power (.429 in 2023, .297 in 2024).

No. 79: RHP Jake Clemente

Clemente, a standout two-way player out of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, spent his first season on the shelf at Florida, recovering from a shoulder injury. He made 19 appearances with two starts and posted a 5.34 earned run average over 28 2/3 innings. His strikeout-to-walk ratio neared 2.00 — 39 strikeouts and 20 walks — last year and he had a breakout summer in the Cape Cod League.

On the Cape, Clemente emerged as the Brewster Whitecaps’ most reliable starter. He had a 3.00 ERA over 27 innings and held opponents to a .165 batting average. Entering his redshirt sophomore year, Clemente has a chance to be a part of Florida’s weekend rotation, although a two-pitch arsenal may limit his usage.

He’s a fastball-slider guy with good action on his low-to-mid-90s heater that tops at 96 mph. The fastball has good carry, which makes the ball look like it’s rising to hitters, and his slider can be devastating when it hits. There’s two-plane movement on the breaking ball, which makes it act more like a slurve at times but is still a work in progress. Developing an offspeed pitch — changeup — would give him a much better shot at cracking the rotation.

No. 101: LHP Pierce Coppola

Coppola was a draft prospect out of high school thanks to a towering 6-foot-8-inch frame and good velocity from the left side. His college career has been riddled with injuries, though. He opened the 2022 season in the weekend rotation as a true freshman, but he underwent and expected surgery to address a bulging disc in his back after just one start. In 2023, he was spotted in a sling and didn’t pitch all year.

Finally healthy a few weeks into SEC play in 2024, Coppola rejoined the rotation and made eight starts for the Gators. An 8.75 ERA isn’t ideal, but neither is returning to action in the middle of the year as a starter against SEC bats. The encouraging part of his game is a career strikeout-to-walk ratio above 3.00 — 35 strikeouts and 12 walks last year.

He has a three-pitch mix, headlined by a power fastball that can creep up to 97-98 after sitting in the mid-90s. His slider generates a ton of swing-and-miss (40-50%) against hitters on both sides of the plate, and his changeup is serviceable. Coppola is the definition of projectable, but he must prove himself as a workhorse in his fourth year of college ball if the goal is to jump into the first few rounds of the 2025 draft.

No. 113: INF/OF Blake Cyr

Cyr is the most high-profile transfer joining the Gators this year, so it tracks that the former Miami Hurricane is a potential draft prospect. Although Cyr has experience at second base, another Gator on this list has locked down that position over the past two years, which means he’ll likely end up in left field.

The Hurricanes began transitioning Cyr to the outfield last year, but injuries kept him from the field for much of the 2024 season. His slash line dipped from an impressive .305/.427/.620 as a freshman to .284/.397/.537 over 95 at-bats as a sophomore.

Scouts like his hit tool the best, but there’s some considerable power that hasn’t been fully tapped into just yet. If Cyr can bounce back and stay healthy, he’ll be as dangerous as Shelton and give Florida a solid 1-2 punch in the middle of the lineup.

Areas to focus on include his strikeout rate, which trended down from 28.2% to 23.1% last year, and fewer ground balls.

No. 125: 2B Cade Kurland

Kurland has made 129 starts at second base for Florida as an underclassman, and he could be in for a big junior year. An All-SEC First Teamer and Freshman All-American in 2023, Kurland regressed due to a hand injury suffered in early 2024 that never fully healed.

His slash line dropped from .297/.404/.555 to .245/.346/.457 and his strikeout rate jumped from 20.5% to 25.4%. Again, the misdiagnosed hand injury is the main reason for this decline. What he believed to be a bone bruise ended up being a fracture and forced him to change his grip at the plate.

Kevin O’Sullivan expressed to Gators Wire that the program has a lot of faith in Kurland following the Miami series last year, just days after he returned to the lineup. Kurland struck out four times that game, but Florida stuck with him through the struggles.

A healthy Kurland could bounce back to All-SEC form, but the aggressive approach at the plate is still a concern. An All-Star nod over the summer in the Cape Cod League is a positive sign.

No. 150: C/1B/OF/DH Brody Donay

Donay transferred to Florida from Virginia Tech a year ago to give the Gators a right-handed power bat and depth at catcher. Donay has Jac Caglianone-esque power that could grade out at 70 on the 20-80 scale used by pro scouts.

While Donay figures to be an important piece in the middle of Florida’s lineup, it’s not clear where he’ll wind up on the field. The Gators used him as a designated hitter most of the time (30 starts) but also gave him time at catcher (14 starts) and first base.

With Luke Heyman likely to start behind the dish, Donay could see more action at first or even in the outfield. Sully’s job is to figure out where he helps the team most, but some defensive question marks aren’t going to keep a guy capable of 450-foot home runs out of the lineup.

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D1Baseball names 5 Florida Gators to top-100 MLB prospects list

After a couple of star-studded draft classes in Gainesville, which Florida baseball players are likely to hear their name called in 2025?

The Florida Gators have seen more than 100 players selected in the MLB draft since [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag] took over, and that number is only set to grow in the upcoming cycle.

D1Baseball included four returning Gators — [autotag]Jake Clemente[/autotag], [autotag]Brody Donay[/autotag], [autotag]Cade Kurland[/autotag] and [autotag]Colby Shelton[/autotag] — and incoming Miami transfer [autotag]Blake Cyr[/autotag] on its list of the top 100 MLB draft prospects at the college level heading into 2025.

Although the list came out in the days after the draft, Shelton only made his return official at the end of July. He’s now officially the highest-ranked Gator on the list at No. 34 overall and fifth among shortstops.

Right-hander Jake Clemente is next at No. 51 and should be a scout favorite after tearing it up in the Cape Cod League over the summer. He should get a chance to start in Gainesville this year, potentially as the third piece of the weekend rotation.

Which Gators are on the bubble?

The other three mentioned above are all in the 94-98 range. Cyr and Donay are both bat-heavy prospects who don’t really have a position.

D1Baseball lists Donay as an outfielder instead of a catcher, but he only played five summer ball games in right to seven games behind the dish and 10 at first. Donay’s height makes him a nice fit at first base, but he’s still looking for ways to utilize his arm strength on the field.

Cyr is another SEC-caliber bat with no clear position heading into 2025. He started off at second base with Miami but moved to left field last year. The only conference in college baseball tougher than the ACC is the SEC, so it’s unlikely we see Cyr move back to the infield but remains an option.

Both Cyr and Donay have 20-homer potential going into next season, but scouts are going to limit the ceiling of any prospect who doesn’t have a future at a coveted position on the field. That’s the reason for Shelton’s high ranking, even though numbers took a dip.

Finally, there’s second baseman Cade Kurland, who has a position but struggled to field it at times during his sophomore season. A bounce-back season defensively could vault him up from the No. 95 spot without much resistance. Bringing his strikeout rate back down five points to his freshman-year numbers would also help.

Who could join the list?

It’s always hard to predict which players will break out coming into a season, but a few proven names in Gainesville were left off this list.

Left-hander [autotag]Pierce Coppola[/autotag] might end up being the most impressive piece of the weekend rotation if his strikeout rate stays above 30%. Then there’s catcher [autotag]Luke Heyman[/autotag], who went through the same sophomore slump Kurland did but has a chance to stick at catcher.

A longshot to make the top 100 would be outfielder [autotag]Ty Evans[/autotag], who was on fire for most of 2024 before suffering a season-ending injury. He’ll lose most of his draft leverage as a senior, but there’s still a shot at being selected in the first five rounds.

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Three Gators named to Cape Code League All-Star Team

With summer ball winding down, three Florida Gators have been named to the Cape Cod League All-Star Team.

A trio of Florida Gators are tearing it up across the nation’s most prestigious wood-bat summer league.

Infielder [autotag]Cade Kurland[/autotag], catcher/designated hitter and right-handed pitcher [autotag]Jake Clemente[/autotag] were named to the 2024 Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star East Division team over the weekend. The game will take place at Guv Fuller Field, home of the Falmouth Commodores, on July 27.’

Donay and Kurland are starters at first and second base, respectively.

Both Clemente and Donay are coming off Player of the Week performances. Clemente threw seven shutout innings, allowing just one hit as he improved his earned run average to 1.93. Donay homered twice last week and slashed .467/.529/.933 to earn the award.

Kurland has held a steady .264/.346/.347 slash line in the wood-bat league. He’s gone deep once and doubled three times while driving in eight runs. Kurland has also flashed some speed, stealing successfully in four of five attempts.

In related news, [autotag]Colby Shelton[/autotag] has made it to the Cape. He’s taken over starting shortstop duties for the Brewster Whitecaps, joining teammates Donay and Clemente.

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Top-ranked Florida baseball signee picked in first round of 2024 MLB draft

The top-ranked signee in Florida baseball’s 2024 recruiting class, shortstop Kellon Lindsey, was drafted 23rd overall by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.

The top-ranked player in Florida baseball’s 2024 signing class, Hardee Senior shortstop Kellon Lindsey, heard his name called in the first round of the MLB draft on Sunday.

The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Lindsey with the 23rd overall pick, all but guaranteeing the beginning of his professional career. Lindsey shot up draft boards this spring after scouts got wind of him on their way to spring training. He quickly moved up the class rankings and became an expected loss from Florida’s signing class.

Lindsey would have been a nice addition to the Gators’ roster, giving the team some depth in the middle infield. Shortstop [autotag]Colby Shelton[/autotag] is a draft-eligible sophomore and second baseman [autotag]Cade Kurland[/autotag] should depart in next year’s draft. With potential 80-grade speed and the arm/range to stay at shortstop, Lindsey could have been the future of Florida’s infield.

The good news is that Florida’s 15-man signing class features two more shortstops. Both have draft hopes but might not get the deals they seek.

Toronto-based Academy shortstop Brendan Lawson is ranked No. 57 overall in the 2024 recruiting class, according to Perfect Game, and the No. 156-ranked recruit in the draft class, per MLB Pipeline.

Jacksonville St.John’s Country Day shortstop Koly Myers is the lowest-ranked shortstop of the trio signed to UF, but he’s still ranked inside the national top 150. He possesses all the tools to be an elite infielder in the SEC.

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Several Florida Gators headed to Cape Cod Baseball League for summer

Cape Cod will be littered with Gators this summer as Florida baseball sends seven players up north for the summer.

Seven Florida Gators are headed to Massachusetts for the summer to play in the Cape Cod Baseball League, according to On3’s Nick de la Torre.

The CCBL is considered the top wood-bat summer league in baseball. It’s loaded with SEC talent and regularly develops top-level players. Ty Evans and Fisher Jameson are two recent examples of Gators who found success after spending the summer in the Cape.

Here’s where this year’s group is headed:

The Brewster Whitecaps are getting the battery of [autotag]Jake Clemente[/autotag] and [autotag]Brody Donay[/autotag]. There’s starter potential with Clemente, who broke out as a redshirt freshman, and it’s good to have a familiar catcher. Donay will be in the heart of Florida’s lineup next season after belting 14 homers in 2023, and he showed promise behind the plate whenever [autotag]Luke Heyman[/autotag] shifted over to first.

Speaking of Heyman, he’s off to Harwich with second baseman [autotag]Cade Kurland[/autotag] to play for the Mariners. This will be Heyman’s second year in the Cape after playing for the Falmouth Commodores in 2023.

Heyman and Kurland came into the program at the same time and had similar slumps this year, so it’s smart to keep them together over the summer as they approach what should be their final year at Florida.

Outfielder [autotag]Blake Brookins[/autotag] and left-hander [autotag]Frank Menendez[/autotag] are with the Charlottesville Tom Sox. Both played high school ball in Miami, so there should be some common ground there. Brookins was a name that appeared in transfer portal reports, but he’s expected to return to Florida.

The final rostered Gator headed up north is rising junior [autotag]Cade Fisher[/autotag], who will play with the Cotuit Kettleers. Fisher struggled significantly as a sophomore after a strong Year 1 in college. The shift to the weekend rotation ultimately hurt the left-hander, who began the year as the Friday-night starter. More comfortable out of the bullpen, Fisher still struggled as a reliever this year.

Liam Peterson is also getting some work in over the summer, but he’ll be with the USA Collegiate National Team.

Incoming infielder [autotag]Landon Stripling[/autotag] is also playing in the CCBL this summer. He’ll be with the Chatham Anglers.

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Previewing Florida and Texas A&M’s rematch at College World Series

Florida came up just short against Texas A&M to open the College World Series. Now the Gators must beat the Aggies twice to advance.

Florida survived a win-or-go-home matchup against Kentucky this morning, but the Gators have to go 2-0 on the day to extend their season and force a Game 7 on their side of the College World Series bracket.

That means a win over Texas A&M is needed, and these two teams already have a bit of history with each other after a three-game regular season series and another tight game in Omaha that almost saw Florida comeback in the ninth.

The Gators made it clear that they are not ready to go home with a 15-4 rout over Kentucky, but they’ll have to keep that momentum up while watch Florida State and Tennessee play an elimination game.

Projected Lineup

Position Name AVG OBP SLG AB R H HR RBI
Catcher Luke Heyman .250 .347 .488 260 46 65 16 52
First Base Jac Caglianone .418 .545 .881 244 83 102 35 72
Second Base Cade Kurland .243 .340 .457 243 51 59 14 44
Third Base Dale Thomas .230 .350 .351 148 23 34 3 21
Shortstop Colby Shelton .254 .376 .552 252 60 64 20 56
Left Field Tyler Shelnut .264 .361 .537 246 45 65 16 52
Center Field Michael Robertson .259 .319 .365 170 27 44 2 26
Right Field Ashton Wilson .292 .420 .492 65 15 19 2 16
Designated Hitter Brody Donay .252 .330 .540 163 32 41 14 32

Florida moved [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] into the leadoff spot and [autotag]Cade Kurland[/autotag] into the No. 2 hole last game. [autotag]Ashton Wilson[/autotag] also moved from third to sixth in the order, being replaced by [autotag]Tyler Shelnut[/autotag]. All of those changes should hold for the second half of the split doubleheader.

Probable Pitchers

TEAM PLAYER RECORD ERA
Florida RHP Liam Peterson 3-5 6.18
Texas A&M TBD TBD TBD

Liam Peterson threw around 50 pitches against Texas A&M on Saturday in the bracket opener. The Aggies are going to know what to expect, but Peterson shouldn’t be dealing with the same nerves he had.

A confident Peterson is a different beast entirely, one that could silence the Aggies bats for four innings. That’s what Florida needs to make it to the College World Series Finals.

Remember, the Gators not only need to win today, but they must beat the Aggies again tomorrow to advance.

Other Players to Watch

Texas A&M didn’t hit the ball that well against Florida the last time around, but Peterson needs to throw strikes. The No. 9 hitter, Travis Chestnut, drove in the first run of the day for the Aggies and scored on a wild pitch later in the second inning. Either of those runs were the difference in a 3-2 finish.

Of course, Jace LaViolette is one of the most dangerous bats in the country, so every one of his at-bats requires some caution.

Series History

OVERALL 14-17
HOME 9-4
ROAD 4-8
NEUTRAL 1-5

Prediction

It’s hard to predict a loss for this team after seeing a 15-run outburst. There’s also the recent history to consider. Florida feels like they should have won that first game.

Had LaViolette been an inch or two shorter, Cade Kurland’s flyout in the ninth might have been a go-ahead home run.

Revenge and momentum are a dangerous combination.

Prediction: Florida lives to see another game, 8-6.

Where to Watch

WEDNESDAY (~7 p.m. ET)

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Florida routs Kentucky in College World Series elimination game

Florida batted around in the first inning and never looked back against Kentucky in a 15-4 rout at the College World Series on Wednesday.

A seven-run first inning set the tone for Florida’s 12-4 win over Kentucky at the College World Series on Wednesday.

Both teams faced elimination coming into the day, but this iteration of the Gators appear to thrive with their backs against the wall. Hustle was at an all-time high, and the entire lineup backed up [autotag]Pierce Coppola[/autotag] in his eighth start of the season.

The Gators get a break before playing the Texas A&M Aggies at 7 p.m., hoping to force a winner-takes-all matchup on Thursday. With little time to relive the big win this morning, here’s how it all went down.

Gators came to play

Putting [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] in the leadoff spot forced Kentucky to pitch to him, and the future first-rounder delivered with a single through the shift that turned into a two-bagger thanks to some laziness getting the ball to the infield.

[autotag]Cade Kurland[/autotag] should have popped out, but Kentucky’s first baseman lost the ball which led to a hit by pitch. With two on and one out, C[autotag]olby Shelton[/autotag] doubled off the wall in right field to score Caglianone. Shelton thought he had a two-run triple, but Kurland got the stop sign ahead of him. 1-1, UF.

[autotag]Luke Heyman[/autotag] lined one to left center, and Shelton’s aggressiveness on the basepaths allowed him to score easily. 3-1, UF. [autotag]Ashton Wilson[/autotag] ate another pitch that ran too far inside, and that was it for Kentucky starter Dominic Niman.

[autotag]Dale Thomas[/autotag] greeted UK right-hander Cam O’Brien with a single to reload the bases. Then, [autotag]Brody Donay[/autotag] took the first pitch he saw over the right field wall with some help from the wind. Grand salami. Florida leads, 7-1.

Kentucky actually struck first, scoring on a two-out single to right field, but that seemed like ancient history by the end of the frame.

K-oppola cruises

A quiet second from both clubs was broken in the third when Kurland drove in another pair of runs for the Gators. Wilson started the rally with another hit by pitch, forcing Kentucky to the bullpen once again. Donay single to put two on, and Caglianone loaded things up with an intentional walk. 9-1, UF.

Kentucky managed to plate another run in the fourth, but Coppola was cruising otherwise. He ran into some more trouble in the fifth — a two-out walk turned into a two-run homer — but he still struck out the side, including five of the last seven batters he faced.

Even though four runs crossed, this was Coppola’s best start of the year. He threw a career-high 98 pitches (60 strikes) and worked through five full frames for the first time.

No mercy (rule)

Kentucky’s offensive outburst went mostly unnoticed thanks to an immediate response from the Gators. Donay homered for the second time on the day, a no-doubter to left field. 10-4, UF.

An unintentional intentional walk (four straight balls) put Caglianone on, and he quickly scampered around the bases. A wild pitch gave him second base and Caglianone straight-up stole third. [autotag]Tyler Shelnut[/autotag] drove him in with an infield single. 11-4, UF.

Shelton walked, initiating another pitching change for Kentucky, and Heyman promptly rocketed a ball past third to score Shelnut. Wilson brought in both runners with a poke to right. 14-4, UF.

Cags makes history

Only one more run crossed over the final four innings, but it’s the one that’s going to be remembered the most 20 years from now.

Jac Caglianone broke the program record for home runs with his 75th as a Florida Gator, passing Matt Laporta. At times, it felt impossible that he would break this record, but Caglianone was intent on cementing himself as the greatest slugger in program history. 15-4, UF.

Save the bullpen

Perhaps the most important outcome of this game was the rest Florida’s bullpen got. [autotag]Jake Clemente[/autotag] threw two scoreless innings in relief of Coppola. He struck out four, walked just one and only allowed one base hit.

[autotag]Alex Philpott[/autotag] looked stellar in his first appearance since April 9. Philpott was dealing with an injury for a bit, but he showed no signs of rust in Omaha. He retired all six batters he faced, in order, including three strikeouts.

Liam Peterson is expected to start against Texas A&M.

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Florida shakes up lineup ahead of College World Series elimination game vs Kentucky

The rain might have delayed this game, but that gave Kevin O’Sullivan time to tinker with his lineup.

Inclement weather gave Florida baseball head coach Kevin O’Sullivan more time to look over his notes, and the Gators will send out a new-look lineup on Wednesday against Kentucky because of it.

Since the second game of the Stillwater Regional, Florida has gone with second baseman [autotag]Cade Kurland[/autotag] in the leadoff spot, followed by first baseman/pitcher [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag], right fielder [autotag]Ashton Wilson[/autotag], shortstop [autotag]Colby Shelton[/autotag] and catcher/first baseman [autotag]Luke Heyman[/autotag].

Wilson’s legendary performance against Nebraska in the regional opener — three doubles and a home run — moved him into the No. 3 spot, but he’s cooled off since. He’s 0-for-7 so far in Omaha, and now Sully has him back down in the six-hole.

Moving Wilson means elevating another player, though, and that’s [autotag]Tyler Shelnut[/autotag], who has had an extra-base hit in four of the last five games. His home runs against NC State ended up being the difference maker in the win.

Caglianone and Kurland are also switching spots. A 6-foot-5-inch lefty with power isn’t the prototypical build for a leadoff man, but Caglianone rarely strikes out and is hitting over .410 this season.

Shelton and Heyman remain in the lineup’s 4 and 5 spots, despite a combined eight strikeouts in Omaha. The bottom third of the order — [autotag]Dale Thomas[/autotag], [autotag]Brody Donay[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Robertson[/autotag] — also remains untouched.

Robertson has been hot lately. He’s figured out how to drive the ball to the opposite field and uses his plus speed to get on base, but hitting him ninth makes him like a second leadoff hitter, but at the bottom of the order, especially with Caglianone hitting behind him now.

[autotag]Pierce Coppola[/autotag] is set to start on the mound for Florida, as planned. Kentucky is likely to throw a left-hander as well, which is why some of those lineup changes may have happened — Cags hits better against lefties somehow.

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Florida eliminates NC State, stays alive in College World Series

Win or go home games bring out the best in the Gators. Florida eliminated North Carolina State on Monday to stay alive in the College World Series.

The Florida Gators baseball team lives to see another day after eliminating the North Carolina State Wolfpack from the College World Series on Monday afternoon, 5-4.

What was expected to be a matchup of left-handers on the mound didn’t go quite as planned, but the end result provided just as much tension as every other game in Omaha over the past few days.

[autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] only lasted an inning before moving to the designated hitter spot in Florida’s lineup card. The broadcast showed him rubbing his elbow on his throwing arm (left) after the first, and [autotag]Cade Fisher[/autotag] replaced him to start the second inning.

Caglianone needed 33 pitches to get out of the first frame. He walked two, hit a batter and gave up a base hit but managed to keep NC State mostly quiet in the run column. Wolfpack shortstop Brandon Butterworth singled through the left side to plate the only run of the inning.

Fisher looked good in relief despite allowing three runs to cross. He went four innings for the first time since March 22 against LSU and didn’t deal with the command issues that have plagued him all year. Fisher walked one, hit one and gave up a two-run homer, but he also struck out three and kept the lead without wasting more arms.

Florida’s four-run second inning provided most of the run support needed for the night.

Caglianone delivered the big blow, his 34th home run of the season and 74th with the Florida Gators — both program records.  An 18-degree launch angle doesn’t usually translate to a home run, but Caglianone barreled this one up and sent it off the bat at 116 mph.

[autotag]Michael Robertson[/autotag] and [autotag]Brody Donay[/autotag] scored on the liner that sliced through the gusting winds in Omaha over the wall in right-center field. Before that, [autotag]Cade Kurland[/autotag] drove in Florida’s first run of the day following a pair of walks to Donay and [autotag]Dale Thomas[/autotag].

Seven runs crossed through the first three innings, but the offense slowed to a crawl after that. Both teams scored in the fifth, but it was all bullpen otherwise. [autotag]Tyler Shelnut[/autotag] hit a solo homer for Florida, and Butterworth drove in another with a double to right.

Kevin O’Sullivan stuck with Fisher through the fifth, but a leadoff walk in the sixth put the one-run lead at risk. Redshirt freshman [autotag]Jake Clement[/autotag]e took over and retired the next three batters on contact, but his leash was short, too. Sully turned to his closer, [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag], for another nine-out save.

Neely dominated. He struck out six of the 11 batters he faced and allowed just two baserunners. Neither fazed him.

There hasn’t been a better closer in baseball than Neely over the past two weeks, but the Gators will have to do it without him tomorrow against the loser of Kentucky–Texas A&M (which starts at 7 p.m. ET).

The first pitch on Tuesday will be at 7 p.m. ET as well.

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Florida’s CWS comeback bid comes up short, Gators face elimination Monday

Florida has made comebacks on the diamond all season long, but the Gators couldn’t get the job done in Game 1 and now face elimination.

As every game has gone so far in the 2024 College World Series, Florida’s 3-2 loss to Texas A&M on Saturday night was an instant classic.

Bad weather delayed first pitch in Omaha until 11 p.m. ET, pushing the game’s final moments beyond the 2 a.m. mark. Naturally, the drama came at the end of the game.

Trailing by three runs for most of the night, [autotag]Dale Thomas[/autotag] finally broke through in the seventh with a double into the left-field corner. [autotag]Tyler Shelnut[/autotag] scored from third after hitting a two-bagger of his own and advancing a base on a wild pitch. [autotag]Brody Donay[/autotag] moved Thomas over with a sacrifice bunt and [autotag]Michael Robertson[/autotag] got him in with a grounder to the left side.

Thomas’ double was the team’s only base hit with a man in scoring position, though. The Gators stranded 10 baserunners overall and went 1-for-11 with RISP.

A bases-loaded opportunity in the eighth gave Thomas another opportunity to make some magic, but a soft grounder to second ended the frame following a quick review. Thomas nearly beat it out and tied the game, but Texas A&M first baseman Ted Burton kept his toes on the bag to get one of the most important outs of the game.

Florida’s chances for a comeback weren’t finished there, though.

In the ninth, Robertson made sure that [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] got an at-bat with an infield single. For a guy who struggled with the lefty-lefty matchup earlier in the year, Robertson has figured out how to slap something the other way and use his speed to get on.

Before Cags stepped to the plate, [autotag]Cade Kurland[/autotag] nearly hit a go-ahead home run to right. It looked like the ball would clear the wall, but Jace LaViolette leaped up and robbed at least one run — probably two. Kurland couldn’t believe it, the Aggies fans couldn’t believe it. A game of inches.

Caglianone worked the count full and walked, putting the go-ahead run on base, but [autotag]Ashton Wilson[/autotag] couldn’t figure out one of the best closers in the country and struck out to end the game.

It was a deflating moment in a game that felt competitive at the very end, but Florida is lucky this one didn’t get out of hand earlier. Freshman [autotag]Liam Peterson[/autotag] didn’t have what his best stuff and was pulled after 2 1/3 innings.

[autotag]Fisher Jameson[/autotag] was excellent in relief despite two walks to start off the outing. He allowed just one hit and struck out three over three innings of work. [autotag]Cade Fisher[/autotag] followed Jameson in relief. He faced one batter and earned two out thanks to a LaViolette double play that ended the sixth.

[autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag] turned to [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] after that. He allowed a baserunner in both the seventh and eighth, but he looked like his typical postseason self otherwise — elite.

Now facing elimination, Florida plays North Carolina State at 2 p.m. ET on Monday. ESPN will broadcast the game.

Expect a change in the lineup with Florida’s No. 3 and 4 hitters combining for seven strikeouts on Saturday. They aren’t seeing the ball well, and guys like Robertson and Thomas are.

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