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Florida defeated the No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats 10-1 to even the series Saturday at Condron Family Ballpark.
The Gators received an excellent performance from freshman pitcher Liam Peterson, the team reached base 22 times while three batters dominated at the plate.
However, UF will be without junior right fielder Ty Evans, one of its best players, for the remainder of the season due to a wrist injury.
UF improved to 26-24 overall and 11-15 in the SEC and are now 28-22 against the Wildcats under coach Kevin O’Sullivan.
Jac Caglianone (5-1, 4.39 ERA) will take the mound for Sunday’s rubber match at noon.
Senior Day in the rubber game!
🆚: No. 4 Kentucky
📍: Condron Family Ballpark
⏰: 12 p.m. ET
📺: SEC Network
💻: https://t.co/KKfffGFwYI
📻: https://t.co/jP9pCRuAuf
📊: https://t.co/IGgu5k97Yp
🎟️: https://t.co/TJi5e9E0j7#GoGators pic.twitter.com/7AVQFw5AVx— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) May 12, 2024
Peterson Dominance
Peterson (2-4) threw the first non-Caglianone quality start of the season. He went six innings, allowed just one run and struck out six Kentucky batters. Peterson’s control of the zone and his ability to allow light contact for easy outs were the main factors in his outing.
https://twitter.com/GatorsBB/status/1789335902105293036
After using six pitchers in Friday’s 12-11 loss in 10 innings, the Gators needed Peterson to go at least five innings to account for the limited bullpen. Peterson delivered and reliever Ryan Slater earned his first save of the season off three scoreless innings.
“We did tell [Peterson] he has to go deeper in the game,” O’Sullivan said. “And now we should be fully rested for tomorrow and we got Jac on the mound on Senior Day. There’s a lot to play for. We have a chance to win the series tomorrow.”
https://twitter.com/GatorsBB/status/1789354703614312718
Everybody Hits
The Gators batted around Kentucky with limited action from their star player. Kentucky decided it did not want to see Caglianone swing the bat and intentionally walked the junior four times. Caglianone did extend his hitting streak to 29 games on a third-inning double. Jacob Young holds Florida’s hit-streak record at 30 games. But it was the “others” who stepped up for Florida.
The bottom three in the order of Tyler Shelnut, Hayden Yost and Dale Thomas combined to reach base nine times. Yost started the Gators’ scoring with a RBI double in the second inning.
Cade Kurland had a day with a solo home run in the third and a two-run double in the seventh.
https://twitter.com/GatorsBB/status/1789336850227699931
But the man of the day was Luke Heyman, who entered Saturday’s game 3-for-20 in his last five games. Heyman bounced back by shooting two balls over the fence for three RBIs.
Heyman’s first home run was in the fifth inning on a 3-2 pitch that also scored Colby Shelton.
https://twitter.com/GatorsBB/status/1789350985162449046
The sophomore catcher’s other dinger occurred in the eighth to extend Florida’s lead to 10-1.
https://twitter.com/GatorsBB/status/1789369706794951122
The Gators did leave a staggering 13 runners on base, six coming coming with the bases juiced twice. But with a great performance by Peterson and solid overall team offense, the 13 left on did not seem to matter.
Up Next
The Gators will be without Evans for what could be the remainder of the season. Evans collided with the right field wall trying to catch a foul ball in the fifth. Evans broke his wrist, O’Sullivan said.
With the emergence of Yost and with veterans Michael Robertson and Jaylen Guy, the Gators have solid options to limit the impact of Evan’s departure. But his plate production (.316 batting average, 13 home runs and 43 RBIs) will be missed.
The first pitch is scheduled for noon Sunday on the SEC Network, ESPN 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF. UK is scheduled to pitch righty Mason Moore (8-1, 4.96).
