No. 4 Florida Clinches Series Over Missouri - Florida Gators (2024)

• Box Score

Game Recap: Baseball | Saturday, April 29, 2023 | Sullivan Bortner

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 4 Florida battled back from a four-run deficit to clinch the series against Missouri with an 11-7 win at Condron Family Ballpark on Saturday afternoon.

Wyatt Langford (3-for-5) and Tyler Shelnut (3-for-4) notched three-hit days, combining for six RBI and two runs scored. Closer Brandon Neely was lights-out in his return to the mound, firing 2 1/3 shutout innings to earn his eighth save.

The Tigers (24-18, 5-15 SEC) hung a two-spot on the Gators (34-10, 13-7 SEC) in the top of the first. After a leadoff walk by Ross Lovich, Trevor Austin hit a two-run homer to left field to open a 2-0 Missouri lead.

Missouri tacked on two more in the third, as Dalton Bargo connected for a two-run shot to right field. Florida stormed back in the bottom half, tying the game with a four-run inning. Michael Robertson got it going with a bunt single, with Shelnut scoring from second thanks to a throwing error by reliever Rorik Maltrud. Langford then produced an RBI single to right-center, followed by a sacrifice fly from Jac Caglianone and an RBI single by Josh Rivera to knot the game at four runs apiece.

UF starter Hurston Waldrep stranded a pair in the fourth, then recorded two outs in the fifth before ceding duties to reliever Ryan Slater. The right-hander blanked the Tigers through the sixth, giving way to the Florida offense to gain the lead. Colby Halter drove in Rivera with a sac fly to left, while Shelnut, Robertson and Langford (two RBI) all contributed RBI singles.

With a 9-4 Gator lead, Missouri answered in the seventh. Hank Zeisler popped a two-run homer to left while Tre Morris provided an RBI triple to cut the score to 9-7.

The Orange & Blue got two runs back in the bottom of the seventh, thanks to a two-run double off the right-field wall by Shelnut. That brought the score to its final tally of 11-7.

Brandon Neely closed out the final 2 1/3 innings to improve to eight-for-eight in save chances. The Gators closer allowed one walk and one hit while striking out three.

Slater (6-0) earned the victory, pitching two-plus innings with three earned runs allowed on three hits and three strikeouts.

Missouri reliever Zach Franklin (6-3) was charged with the loss. The right-hander gave up four earned runs in three innings, forfeiting two hits and two walks while striking out six.

Waldrep did not factor into the decision after surrendering four earned runs on six hits and four walks across 4 2/3 frames. The righty struck out four. Tigers starter Javyn Pimental was handed a no-decision as well, allowing two earned runs in two-plus innings on one hit and three strikeouts.

NOTABLES

• Florida won its ninth-straight series at Condron Family Ballpark.
  • The Gators have won 14 of their last 15 series dating back to last season including 10 of 11 this season.
• The Gators posted their 16th come-from-behind victory of the season.
• Neely improved to eight-for-eight in save chances.
• Slater is the third Gator to win six games (Waldrep, Brandon Sproat).
• Shelnut has played 26 games with at least two at bats and has collected at least one hit in 22 of those contests including nine instances with multiple knocks.
• Caglianone knocked in his team-leading 64th run with a sacrifice fly in the third inning.
  • Caglianone surpassed Wyatt Langford's team-high 63 RBI from last season.
• Rivera extended his team-leading on-base streak to 17 games.
• Florida has struck out 463 batters in 376 innings – translating to 11.1 per nine innings.
• The Gators have 457 hits through 44 games (10.4 hits/game).
• The Gators have scored in 47.9% of batted innings (168 of 351).
• Florida improved to 30-5 all-time against Missouri including 18-1 in Gainesville.
  • The Gators are 25-4 vs. the Tigers under Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan featuring a 14-0 mark at home.

FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O'SULLIVAN
On the victory…
"Showed a lot of resilience today, fell behind four runs, but we battled back and had a couple big innings. It wasn't real pretty, but at the end of the day, we figured out a way to come back. That says a lot about our team. We've done that quite a bit this year."

On the defense…
"It all starts with BT behind the plate and up the middle. Cade has improved a lot defensively at second. Josh is one of if not the best shortstop in the country at all phases, and obviously Michael Robertson made a great catch there in the ninth. Defensively, we've been good."

On Mizzou's arms…
"…We got a lot of different looks too, I don't know how many pitchers they used, I think they used about eight different pitchers… Sometimes that's not easy, seeing a different arm every time you come to the plate."

UP NEXT
Florida and Missouri meet in the series finale on Sunday with coverage on SEC Network at 12 p.m.