Gators Baseball Takes Series Against Auburn

The Florida baseball team trailed early in Sunday’s rubber game of a three game series against Auburn but came roaring back late to beat the Tigers 17-8 at Condron Family Ballpark. Down 8-3 in the fifth inning, the Gators stormed back and scored 14 unanswered runs against the Tigers to take the series.

A plethora of walks combined with timely hits from Wyatt Langford and a two-run single by Jac Caglianone gave the Gators a 10-8 lead in the seventh inning, and they never looked back.

Langford finished the game with three hits, including a home run, and three walks in six plate appearances. He also scored a career-high five runs.

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Luke Heyman and Colby Halter cushioned the lead with RBIs. Heyman brought home eight total runs in the game, while Halter plated four. Heyman added a grand slam in the eighth inning to give Florida a nine-run lead.

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Meanwhile, Ryan Slater shined in relief by retiring all 12 batters faced in the final four innings. He struck out four batters and picked up his fourth win of the season.

Gators strike first

It didn’t take long for Florida to put runs across the plate. Heyman hit a single, and an error by the left fielder allowed the Gators to put three runs on the board in the first inning.

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Auburn was able to answer in the top of the second with a solo home run courtesy of Cooper McMurray to make the score 3-1.

The Gators were able to hold off the Tigers from putting more on the board despite runners getting on base. In the first three innings, Auburn put seven runners on but the Gators only allowed the one run off the home run.

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Middle inning blues for the Orange and Blue

The Tiger offense came alive in the fourth and fifth innings with seven total runs plated.

Caden Green started the scoring in the fourth inning with a two-run shot to left field off of Gator starter Jac Caglianone to tie the game 3-3. After loading the bases, Caglianone was subbed for Blake Purnell. However, the reliever struggled to find his groove with a pair of wild pitches, including one that plated another run.

Purnell only pitched 0.1 inning and faced two total batters, and a 3-1 Gator lead quickly turned into a 4-3 deficit. Cade Fisher took Purnell’s place on the mound and forced two outs despite allowing two walks but the Tigers cashed in again in the fifth inning.

Outfielder Bobby Peirce hit a single to score Green. Two batters later, Bryson Ware hit a three-run home run to give the Tigers an 8-3 lead.

Gators “walk” the walk, take the lead

Despite struggling to get consistent hits, the Gators took advantage of walks and timely hits to complete the comeback.

In the fifth, Wyatt Langford, who was walked three times in the game, and Heyman both drew walks while BT Riopelle was hit by a pitch as the Gators loaded the bases. From there, Colby Halter singled in two runs to cut into the lead.

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From there, Matt Prevesk walked to re-load the bases, and Michael Robertson walked to add another run. The Gators made it an 8-6 game going into the sixth inning.

In the sixth, Langford doubled and both Josh Rivera and Riopelle walked to load the bases. Heyman drew his second walk of the game to bring home another run, and Halter flew out to right field to tie the game with a sacrifice fly.

Florida took their first lead since the fourth inning in the seventh inning behind a double by Langford to put two runners in scoring position and Caglianone’s single scored both runners.

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Heyman added another base hit to give the Gators a three-run lead, and Halter doubled to score another.

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Florida kept its foot on the gas in the eighth inning by plating five more runs behind Langford’s solo shot and Heyman’s grand slam.  Florida is now 7-2 in SEC play with the win.

Up next

The Gators are back at Condron Family Ballpark on Tuesday for a single game against Bethune-Cookman. First pitch is at 6 p.m. with radio coverage on WRUF.