Florida Baseball Secures First Series Road Win Against Ole Miss

Gabriela Vitale March 26, 2023 College Baseball, Gators Baseball, Gators Sports 1,033 Views

The Florida Gator baseball team defeated Ole Miss on Saturday 12-8 in the second game of a doubleheader and in fact swept the doubleheader after winning the first game as well.  By clinching the series on Saturday, Florida keeps alive a streak of not losing a series this season. The first game of the day featured a come from behind win and the Gators continued the momentum with its red hot bats in the second contest.

Hurston Waldrep got the start on the mound for the Gators while Grayson Saunier started for Ole Miss. Although this is Waldrep’s first year with the Gators, he pitched against Ole Miss last year in a Super Regional with Southern Miss.

Jac Caglianone was the talk of this game and of the day as he jacked his 16th home run of the season, which now leads the nation.

Florida Comes Out Hot

With a freshman on the bump, the key to this game for the Gators was jump out early and they did that as Jac Caglianone responded again bringing in the first run of the game, just like he did in game one.

Cade Kurland walked on six pitches to lead off the game. Wyatt Langford singled to the short stop and a wild pitch advanced both runners. A hard ground out by Caglianone scored Kurland and Florida was up 1-0 in the first frame.

Waldrep came out of the gate with a 98 mph fastball that helped hold the Rebels scoreless in the bottom half of the inning.

Ty Evans was hit by a pitch to lead the second. A single by Matt Prevesk advanced him to third and a single by Michael Robertson scored Evans to put Florida up 2-0.

Waldrep then threw a six pitch second inning to sit the Rebels down.

No One Other Than Jac Caglianone

Caglianone then did it again for the third time of the day. Nation leading 16th home run of the season for the two-way gem.

Rivera followed that with a double to left center and and another ball was launched into the Rebels student section off the bat of BT Riopelle. JT Quinn would come out of the bullpen for Ole Miss in relief of Saunier. The Gators kept scoring as Colby Halter tripled to right field and he later scored on a ground out by Prevesk to make the game 6-0 Florida.

Ole Miss Puts Up a Five Spot

Baseball showed why it’s a game of don’t talk too soon in the third inning as the Rebels put up a five spot in the third inning, inching the game to a one run contest.

Will Furnis led off the third with a single for Ole Miss. Then back-to-back doubles down the left field line scored two for the Rebels. A walk to Calvin Harris and Jacob Gonzalez reaching on an error by Caglianone cut the Gator lead in half.  Still with no outs, Kemp Alderman doubled to center field to score another. The last run of the inning came on an RBI ground out by TJ McCants, cutting Florida’s lead to one.

Gators Much Needed Insurance Run

Florida had the bullpen working in the third when Waldrep was struggling but he remained in the game. The Rebels didn’t score in the fourth inning and the Gators needed to tally insurance runs and they responded well.

Josh Rivera led off the fifth with a single to right field to get things going and Riopelle then tripled for his second three bagger of the game to score Rivera. A passed ball would send him home and the Gators added much needed insurance runs to put them ahead 8-5.

Waldrep settled in well after the third inning. He recorded his ninth strikeout in the fifth inning as he struck out three Rebels batters and hit one.

Langford is Back Hitting Nukes

It was only a matter of time before the first round MLB prospect sends one out of the park. Wyatt Langford sent a ball to deep right field for his seventh home run of the season.

Waldrep exited the game after a lead off walk in the sixth; his final line was five plus innings pitched with six hits and six runs allowed, five earned, with three walks and nine strikeouts in 93 pitches, 56 of which were strikes.  Ole Miss was able to score a run after the leadoff walk to make it 9-6.

Michael Robertson Robbing Homeruns

It was a day of web gems out in center field for Robertson. After robbing an Ole Miss hitter of a  home run in the first game, he did it again in the second game as he made a game saving play for the Gators.

https://twitter.com/GatorsBB/status/1639791531606540288?s=20

Cade Fisher, Nick Ficarrotta Relief Pitching

Lefty freshman Cade Fisher relieved Waldrep on the mound.  The game was left pretty quiet on the Rebels side as the Gator relievers got the job done. One run crossed the plate but was charged to Waldrep from his leadoff walk. Fisher went 1.2 innings with two hits and two strikeouts to end his outing.

Nick Ficarrotta came in to get the last out of the sixth and remained in the game to close it out.

Florida scored three more runs in the ninth to pad their lead. Caglianone singled to beat the shift and Rivera followed with a hit by pitch.  A sacrifice bunt by Riopelle and a pinch hit hit by pitch by Richie Schiekofer loaded the bases. Halter reached on an error, scoring Caglianone and a fly out by Prevesk scored Schiekofer.

Ole Miss was able to tally two runs in the ninth as Kemp Alderman hit a two run home run to make it 12-8. But, It wasn’t enough to make the comeback.

The Gators secured the series win and look to go for the sweep on Sunday with Caglianone on the bump.

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