GAINESVILLE– No. 3 Florida swatted a season-high 19 hits as the Gators evened the series against Auburn with a 12-5 victory at Condron Family Ballpark on Saturday night.
Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan won his 650th career game thanks contributions up and down the UF lineup. All 10 Gators who saw action collected hits including seven with multiple knocks. Eight members of the Orange & Blue drove in at least one run, led by Jac Caglianone (3-for-5), who collected four RBI while finishing a double shy of the cycle.
For the second-straight contest, the Tigers (18-8-1, 3-5 SEC) scored in the top of the first. Cole Foster led off with a single to right and later crossed home on an RBI groundout to second base by Ike Irish.
The Gators (23-5, 6-2 SEC) answered immediately in the bottom half. Following an infield single by Wyatt Langford, Caglianone connected for his 18th home run of the year, sending an 0-1 offering over the right-center field wall to give UF a 2-1 lead.
Auburn retook a 3-2 edge in the third on a two-run homer to right field by Bobby Pierce, but Florida stormed back in the bottom. The Orange & Blue loaded the bases with one out, allowing Tyler Shelnut to put the Gators ahead with a two-run single to right field. Colby Halter and Michael Robertson chipped in RBI singles as well, sandwiching a run-scoring groundout by Matt Prevesk to make it 7-3 in favor of Florida.
Gators starting pitcher Hurston Waldrep settled in after the third, blanking the Tigers in the fourth through the sixth. The right-hander struck out his fifth-straight batter to conclude the fifth, then worked around two baserunners in the sixth while striking out two more Tigers to reach double-digit strikeouts for the third time this year.
With Waldrep churning out zeros, the Gators added to their lead in the bottom of the sixth. On the heels of a Langford walk and Josh Rivera single, BT Riopelle produced a one-out knock to right to extend the advantage to 8-3.
The Tigers did not go quietly, drawing within three runs in the seventh. Bryson Ware singled to center to plate two runs, moving the score to 8-5 as the Gators called on closer Brandon Neely for an eight-out save.
Florida got both runs back and then some in the bottom half, beginning with a two-run triple off the right-center field wall by Caglianone. Rivera followed with an RBI single to bring Caglianone home, moving the score to 11-5. Ty Evans singled in Colby Halter in the eighth to bring the score to its final tally of 12-5.
Neely retired the side in order in the eighth, then worked a scoreless ninth inning to secure his sixth save of the campaign. UF's closer tossed 2 2/3 shutout innings of relief, forfeiting just one hit and one walk while striking out three.
Waldrep (5-1) earned the victory, collecting his third quality start of the season. He allowed three earned runs over six innings, giving up four hits and three walks while striking out 10.
Auburn starter John Armstrong (5-1) was saddled with the loss after allowing seven runs (four earned) across 2 1/3 innings. He surrendered seven hits and struck out one.