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Florida Gators finish series road win over No. 9 Georgia Bulldogs

Untitled designby:Nick de la Torre•05/18/24•

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The Gators had been no hit through three innings when Ashton Wilson stepped to the plate. It wouldn’t be Wilson’s only at bat in the fourth, the Gators sent 17 batters to the plate, scoring 12 runs on nine hits while batting for a collective cycle in the frame. The fourth inning helped Florida get past Georgia by a score of 19-11, which became a closer affair than Florida anticipated late.

The Bulldogs (39-14, 17-13 SEC) struck first in game three, putting one run on the Gators in the bottom of the first on an RBI groundout to second base by Tre Phelps. Georgia created traffic again in the second, with Charlie Condon cashing in on a two-out, two-run single through the left side to make it 3-0.
 
UF right-hander Fisher Jameson inherited a one-out, two-runner jam in the third. After recording a strikeout and a walk, Jameson stranded the bases loaded by inducing a foul-out to first base from Kolby Branch.
 
Florida stormed back into the ballgame in the top of the fourth, erupting for 12 runs to take a commanding 12-3 advantage. Caglianone started it with a two-run homer to right, while Heyman followed with an RBI groundout to shortstop and Kurland popped a solo shot to right field. Michael Robertson then singled home Shelnut and Wilson picked up his second hit of the inning with a two-run double to left-center. Heyman and Shelnut put an exclamation point on the outburst with a pair of two-run doubles.
 
Jameson retired the side in order in the bottom half of the fourth to hold the momentum, picking up his third strikeout in the process. The right-hander stranded two Bulldogs in the fifth and went one-two-three in the sixth to take Florida’s nine-run lead through six frames.

The Gators added a pair of runs in the seventh but Georgia put eight on the board over their next two at-bats to give Florida an uneasy feeling. Cade Kurland’s three-run homer in the top of the ninth gave Florida enough breathing room to finish out the win.

Players of the game

Tyler Shelnut: 3-4, 2 doubles, 3RBI
Cade Kurland: 2-4, 2 home runs
Luke Heyman: 2-6, double, 4 RBI
Ashton Wilson: 2-5 double, 2 RBI

Notes

  • Florida scored its most runs (12) in a single inning of the Kevin O’Sullivan era (2008-present) in the fourth inning of game three.
    • Florida scored its most runs in one inning since Feb. 27, 2002 vs. Siena (15) in what was a 31-3 drubbing by the Gators.
      • The all-time program record is 18 runs, set in 1965 vs. Kentucky and 2001 vs. Savannah State.
    • Two Gators had multiple hits in the frame: Wilson (single, two-run double) and Shelnut (double, two-run double.
    • Heyman drove in four runs in the inning.
    • The Gators combined for seven extra-base hits in the fourth.
    • Florida also hit for the cycle as a team.
  • The Gators scored a season-high 19 runs – the team’s most since defeating LSU, 24-2, in game two of the College World Series Finals on June 25, 2023.
  • Florida has now won 18 of the last 30 meetings vs. Georgia including wins in eight of ten series.
  • Florida produced its 15th come-from-behind win of the season including the team’s 12th in SEC play.
  • Florida’s scoring streak of 133-consecutive games is the third-longest in program history (May 27, 2022-present).
  • Kurland registered his second-career two-homer game (April 22, 2023 at South Carolina).
    • Kurland’s four RBI tied his career high (five times).
  • Caglianone extended his on-base streak to 40-straight contests.
    • Caglianone has hit safely in 51 of 54 games while reaching safely in all but one contest.
  • Shelnut collected his third three-hit game of the season.
  • Wilson recorded his first multi-hit performance as a Gator.
  • Heyman drove in four runs for the second time this season.
  • Robertson posted his third three-RBI game.
  • Across the team’s last 83 tilts against SEC teams, Florida is 50-33.
    • That includes a 42-30 regular-season mark.
  • Florida is now 195-116-2 all-time vs. Georgia including an 88-65 mark in Athens.
    • The Gators are 32-18 against the Bulldogs under head coach Kevin O’Sullivan (13-11 away).
  • Saturday’s official attendance was 3,954.

What’s next for the Florida Gators?

The Florida Gators await their opponent in the SEC Tournament, which will be determined based on the winner of Auburn and Alabama, who are playing Saturday night. Despite the outcome of the game, the Gators will play on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. ET against either Vanderbilt or South Carolina.

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