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The No.10 Florida Gators got a big win on the road Tuesday night against the Jacksonville Dolphins, 10-4. It was the Gators’ first mid-week game of the year and they needed to get a win considering how poorly Florida performed in last year’s midweek games.
Not the Start Florida Wanted
One of the biggest keys coming into this game for Florida was to avoid the slow start. It’s been one of the few weaknesses that this team has had. Especially against a Jacksonville team (0-4) that just got swept by West Virginia this past weekend.
However, the same story repeated itself Tuesday, when Jacksonville delivered the first blow. It came right away in the first inning after a combination of walks and sloppy defensive play gave the Dolphins the 2-0 lead.
Florida’s starting pitcher Billy Barlow, the Clemson transfer, struggled early on with his command and finding the zone in finishing the night with three walks and one hit batter. He did settle in after the rough first inning with two shutout innings. He finished with just three innings, struck out four and allowed the two runs.
Through the first four innings, the Gators (4-0) could only muster three hits while being shut out. Jacksonville starting pitcher Alex Walsh (0-1) kept hitters off-balance by inducing weak contact and commanding the zone.
Gators Breakthrough
The Gators’ luck started to turn in the bottom of the fifth. With one out and runners on first and second Bobby Boser blasted one straight over the center field wall to put Florida on top 3-2.
Boser is stud. Even in BP, there is intent with every swing, backside and CF. He takes good ABs and is very versatile in field having played CF, 2B, SS, and 3B during his career. He definitely has the arm and range for 3B and has the pop to stick there. pic.twitter.com/Hydp5s7vSD
— Ian Roth (@IanRothhh) February 19, 2025
Brody Donay got ahold of yet another one and sent it over the left field wall into the Jacksonville night. Donay has homered in all four games to start the season and is hitting .643.
Brody Donay may hit 40 bombs for the Gators this season. Dude just has stupid pop. pic.twitter.com/BxPumFZ0Tk
— SEC Unfiltered (@SECUnfiltered) February 19, 2025
Florida kept adding on in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Justin Nadeau’s infield single scored Luke Heyman in the sixth. A few walks and a couple of clutch hits from Blake Cyr and Hayden Yost drove in three more. Florida put runs nine and 10 on the board with a Brendan Lawson RBI single and a Heyman sacrifice fly.
Bullpen Performance
Luke McNeillie, Aidan King and Alex Philpott all had impressive outings. McNeillie (1-0) came in for Barlow and quieted the Dolphins. McNeillie did run into some trouble in the fifth inning after a leadoff triple and a balk that got a run in. But other than that, it was another good outing for the sophomore.
King followed that performance with one of his own. The freshman was pitching back in his hometown of Jacksonville in making his second appearance of the season. King pitched two innings, gave up one unearned run and recorded one strikeout.
Philpott finished off Tuesday night’s win with a clean one-two-three ninth.
Up Next
The Gators return home Wednesday night to take on the Florida A&M Rattlers (1-3) at 6:30 p.m. You can watch on SEC Network+ or listen on the radio at ESPN 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF.
