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From trash talk to moon shots, the Florida Gators and LSU Tigers exchanged plenty of blows in their rubber game Sunday. But in the end, after plenty of verbal jabs from both squads, the Gators got the last laugh.
No. 6 Florida came away with a 12-2 victory to secure the series win over No. 5 LSU on Sunday at Alex Box Stadium. UF (14-9, 4-2 SEC) belted six home runs, including three consecutive long balls in the eighth inning. Sophomore shortstop Colby Shelton led the charge with a 3-for-5 performance, racking up two homers and four RBIs.
Junior right fielder Ty Evans collected three hits and a home run. Senior left fielder Tyler Shelnut, junior pitcher Jac Caglianone and sophomore second baseman Cade Kurland each chipped in with homers.
On the mound, Caglianone put together yet another strong start to keep the Tigers (19-6, 2-4) in check. The Florida two-way star threw 103 pitches through seven innings en route to his third win. Caglianone finished with a line of three hits, five walks, two runs (one earned) and five strikeouts.
Things got chippy between the SEC rivals as the game went on. LSU’s Jared Jones had things to say while rounding the bases after hitting a home run to bring the Tigers to 6-2 in the fifth. Home plate umpire Michael Banks warned both teams.
After retiring the Tigers minutes later, Caglianone had some words for the opposing dugout. This angered LSU coach Jay Johnson, who promptly had a heated exchange with Banks. Johnson was then ejected from the game.
Blasting Off In The Fifth Inning
Neither squad could catch a break offensively in the first three innings. While Caglianone kept the Tigers at bay, the Gators struggled to find a rhythm of their own at the plate.
LSU sophomore designated hitter Ethan Frey eventually broke through and put the Tigers on the board. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Frey knocked a single through the left side to score junior second baseman Josh Pearson.
The Gators responded with a resounding six runs in the top of the fifth. Senior catcher Tanner Garrison led off the inning with a single. Two batters later, Shelton came through with a monster two-run slam past the left field foul pole. Florida had now taken its first lead of the game, but the team was just getting started.
BELTIN' SHELTON IN BATON ROUGE 💥#GoGators // 📺 SEC Network pic.twitter.com/zCGt2tdF0o
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) March 24, 2024
After Evans and Shelnut landed on base via a single and a four-pitch walk, respectively, junior first baseman Luke Heyman drilled a double into deep left field to bring both runners in.
With the Gators now up 4-1, the Tigers opted to replace junior starting pitcher Thatcher Hurd (1-3) with freshman reliever Kade Anderson. Kurland immediately welcomed Anderson to the ballgame in style, launching another moon shot over the right field wall for Florida’s second homer of the inning.
Analytics are down at The Box but we did our best.#GoGators | @Dream_Finders pic.twitter.com/3cmGcRg97U
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) March 24, 2024
Florida Keeps The Runs Coming
After Jones’ homer, it didn’t take long for the Gators to get the run back, and then some, in the top of the sixth. After another leadoff single from Garrison, Shelton blasted his 12th home run to tack on two more runs to UF’s lead.
Caglianone kept the momentum rolling with another shutout frame, giving Florida an 8-2 lead after six innings.
Florida went for the kill in the eighth. Redshirt sophomore center fielder Michael Robertson belted a double to give the Gators a leadoff man on base.
Evans then sent a ball towering into center field and over the wall to get the Gators back on the board with a 10-2 lead. With the bases now cleared, it was Caglianone’s turn to get in on the fun.
Facing all kinds of jeers from the LSU crowd, he watched as a ball flew right past his head. As the LSU fans roared in approval, Caglianone locked right back in at the plate. Taking the crowd’s taunts to heart, he launched a solo shot past the left foul pole and into the stands. As the Tigers crowd quieted back down, Caglianone triumphantly trotted around the bases. He couldn’t help but crack a smile as he returned to the dugout.
OPPO TACO 🌮#GoGators // 📺 SEC Network pic.twitter.com/RcfYDZTche
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) March 24, 2024
Now only needing one more run to trigger the mercy rule, Shelnut came through with the dagger in the next at-bat. He crushed a ball into left for the Gators’ third consecutive home run.
Wrapping Up An Eventful Weekend
Entering the bottom of the eighth with a 12-2 lead, UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan sent junior closer Brandon Neely to finish the game. Neely made quick work of the Tigers in the frame.
The Gators and Florida State get together for Game 2 of their series Tuesday at a neutral site. In the last meeting, FSU knocked out 13 hits en route to a 12-8 upset win in Gainesville. First pitch for the Sunshine State Showdown is set for 6 p.m. (SEC Network+, ESPN 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF) in Jacksonville.
The teams end the series April 9 in Tallahassee.
