Florida Gators take series over Columbia Lions

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Kevin O’Sullivan said his ballclub needed a game like this early on. The Florida Gators and Columbia Lions were knotted at 1-0, thanks to a Dale Thomas solo home run in the second inning, but it was the only run Florida had through seven innings just one night after plating 15 on Friday night.

Starting pitchers Liam Peterson and Andy Leon traded zeros in the first, but Thomas put the Gators (4-1) on the board in the bottom of the second. After working a full count, Thomas swatted a solo homer to left-center for his first of the campaign. The score would remain 1-0 all the way until the eight inning where Florida opened the game up.

Ty Evans unloaded on a two-run homer to left-center to push the lead to 3-0.
 
Tyler Shelnut reached on a fielding error in left and scored on a sacrifice fly to right off the bat of Thomas. With two outs, Jac Caglianone (4-4 on the night)drove in a pair with a single to right-center followed by a bases-loaded walk from Evans to push the lead to 7-0.

Saturday’s key players

Dale Thomas: The Gators’ third baseman was the only offense through seven innings. His second-inning home run opened the scoring on Saturday.

Ty Evans: The junior right fielder went 1-4 with a three-run home run to open the game up in the eighth inning.

Jac Caglianone: The junior lefty went 4-4 with 2 RBI and a run scored.

Luke McNeillie: The freshman took over for Liam Peterson, who started the game. McNeillie threw 2.2 innings of shutout baseball and struck out one on the way to his first career win.

Quotes of the Night

On Peterson’s start and the win…
“I think you’re just amped up. His first start in his career at home, over 8,000 people. It’s expected. The bottom line is that he made some pitches and the stuff was really good again. Really easy decision to take him out after four after that emotional fourth inning, and then obviously getting Luke out there for the first time. He would’ve pitched earlier, but he had a blister on his middle finger. I thought both of them were outstanding. As a club, we needed a game like that. It was a one-nothing game through seven, every pitch mattered, every play mattered, every at-bat mattered, so it was just a great game all around. Their starter was outstanding as well. They had a good plan and it was just a really good game. I think it’s one that’s going to help us moving forward.”

On Thomas’ impact…
“He was an emotional leader last year, too, even though he didn’t play. So, he’s older, he’s played college baseball for four or five years now. He’s kind of that spark plug and plays really, really good defense at third base. He’s an emotional leader and he brings his energy every day. We’re just glad that he’s getting the opportunity to play and he’s making the most of it, for sure.”

On McNeillie and Neely’s performances…
“He was really good. With both of them, with Liam and Luke, the situation bases loaded and one out and had to figure out a way to get through it. Luke comes in and gives up a leadoff double and figures out a way to make some big pitches. Both of them, you couldn’t ask for anything more. The plan with Neely was to use him in the eighth and ninth. They got arguably one of their best hitters in Palfrey coming up, so he was ready to go so we brought him in there for the last out there in the seventh. I thought his stuff was really sharp, too. And that was the thing going in, he’d only thrown one inning over the first four games. He needs to pitch. Even if the game had been out of hand, one way or the other, he was going to go to the mound tonight at least for an inning or so.”

Stats of notes

• Saturday night’s official attendance was 8,437 – the third-largest crowd in team history and the biggest ever for a regular-season affair.
• Making his first weekend start, Peterson threw four scoreless innings on two hits and three walks while striking out six.
• Caglianone tied his career high with four hits.
• Thomas hit his first homer of the season including his first-ever at Condron Family Ballpark.
• Evans also swatted his first home run of the campaign.
• Dating back to last season, Florida is 26-4 in regular season non-conference games and has won 17 of its last 18 such contests.
• The Gators are 25-5 in home series since 2023.
  • Florida is 33-11 in weekend series since 2023 and 42-14 across the team’s previous 19 series.
• Florida improved to 7-0 all-time against Columbia, all of which have been played in Gainesville.

What’s next for the Gators

The Florida Gators and Columbia Lions will finish their weekend series early Sunday morning. The first pitch is at 11 am and Jac Caglioane will make his season debut on the mound.

The Gators will travel to Stetson on Tuesday and host Bethune-Cookman on Wednesday before traveling to Coral Gables to take on the Miami Hurricanes.