Kyle Jones-led Florida Baseball Mercy Rules Stetson
Sometimes fate finds a way of showing itself. For Kyle Jones, kismet came on a 1-0 count in the top of the fifth with the bases loaded and one out.
Standing in the batter’s box, Jones was a testament to resilience. He worked his way back into Florida’s lineup after both a hamstring injury on Opening Day weekend last year and a season-ending left shoulder injury.
Jones had left Stetson two years ago, trading in his green and white jersey for an orange and blue one. But in the Gators grey away uniform – like a haunting apparition – Jones met chance head-on and dared it to stop the loud crack of a baseball, slamming the pitch over the right-field fence where it disappeared into the night. A grand slam for the redshirt sophomore. Proof that he was meant to return all along.
Jones finished 2-for-4, including a walk, in the No. 12 Gators’ 12-2 mercy-rule win against Stetson. He also tacked on two stolen bases, proving himself a threat even when he wasn’t hitting home runs. It’s no wonder the center fielder had looked forward to returning to DeLand.
“I love getting to go back there,” he said ahead of the series, smiling. “Love everything that they did to help me through my career, but I love being able to get back to DeLand every now and then.”
But Jones was far from the only Gator to have capitalized on Stetson’s pitching problems – and there were many. Hatter starter Zane Coppersmith survived one turn around the lineup, and Stetson (0-4) pulled him after 1 2/3 innings in favor of whomever they could find in its bullpen.
First came Jake Gorelick, then Lathan Haywood and Thomas Achey. One by one, Florida kicked opposing pitchers off the mound, leaving Stetson coach Steve Trimper scrambling down a rabbit hole for a solution. No Hatter lasted more than two innings.
The Gators’ turnover between the No. 9 hitter, freshmanJacob Kendall, and the top of the lineup dealt deadly blows. Florida went 8-for-16 (.500), with three homers and 11 RBIs, between Kendall and Cade Kurland, who bats in the three hole.
“Kyle’s doing a great job for us in that leadoff hole, obviously, anytime he can get on days, especially with [Brendan Lawson] getting behind him,” associate head coach Tom Slater said Saturday. “I mean, that’s just outstanding.”
The Gators chose Billy Barlow as their first midweek starter. Barlow, a redshirt senior, entered this season after a 2025 year he’d rather put in the rearview mirror. With seven starts on the mound – five midweek, two SEC – he went 1-4 with a 6.26 ERA.
Tuesday night, however, Barlow threw strikes. Across four innings, his strike percentage hovered around 70%, whiffing five and walking none. Barlow gave up two earned runs, but Florida repaired any damage offensively. While the righty could’ve easily gone at least another inning, the Gators had run up the score to 7-2. So, Barlow walked off the mound with the win.
Redshirt sophomore Caden McDonald earned the save for the Gators. He pitched the final three innings of the seven-frame game. McDonald only gave up one hit and struck out four. Florida’s choice of McDonald was both easy and convenient. He made 20 relief appearances for the Gators last season with a 4-0 record.
The Gators (3-1) needed someone to eat innings to save arms for the four games later this week. Florida has a 6 p.m. game Wednesday (SEC Network+) to finish the split-series with the Hatters at Condron Family Ballpark.
Then again, it might not matter who Florida puts in if the team continues to mercy-rule opponents with an explosive lineup and a former Stetson player healthy for the first time in a season.
Category: Baseball, College Baseball, Feature Sports News, Gators Baseball
