Tag: Luke McNellie

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 falls in extras to Kentucky after offensive explosion

It was a fun game for the spectators but unfortunately, the good guys failed to prevail.

The opening game to Florida baseball’s penultimate regular-season series was certainly an entertaining one for the fans. In fact, the crowd at Condron Family Ballpark even got some extra baseball out of the evening.

The Gators ultimately fell to the fourth-ranked Kentucky Wildcats, 12-11, in 10 innings to drop the first of three in Gainesville this weekend against its Southeastern Conference foe. The Orange and Blue managed to build a 5-1 lead at the end of the fourth inning, but the bullpen once again came undone as it is wont to do.

[autotag]Pierce Coppola[/autotag] got the start in ostensibly an opener role, throwing 2 2/3 innings and allowing an unearned run in the first frame. Fisher Jameson relieved him and coughed up a pair of runs over two innings, followed by [autotag]Jake Clemente[/autotag] who notched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless work.

Then the pain came when [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag], [autotag]Luke McNellie[/autotag] and [autotag]Cade Fisher[/autotag] all surrendered a trio of runs in their respective stints; Fisher ended up getting saddled with the loss.

Florida’s top performer at the plate was [autotag]Dale Thomas[/autotag], who went 3-for-4 for his first three-hit game as a Gator while also driving in two runs. [autotag]Brody Donay[/autotag] went 2-for-6, [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] went 2-for-3 and [autotag]Colby Shelton[/autotag] went 2-for-5, and the trio all left the yard; Shelton posted a two-homer effort.

Caglianone reached base five times, including his 28th home run and 200th career hit, extending his hitting streak to 28 games.

The next game is slated for 1 p.m. ET on Saturday in Gainesville. The SEC Network will provide the broadcast.

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