How it Happened: Texas A&M slugs Florida Gators in run-rule win

The Texas A&M Aggies took it to the No. 4 Florida Gators on Saturday night in College Station, winning 15-2.

Join the conversation on the gators Online message board

SCORE

Gators 2-4-2

Aggies 15-12-0

7th inning

RUDIS to p for CORTEZ.

THOMAS pinch-hit for KURLAND.

THOMAS singled to center field (1-0 B).

EVANS pinch hit for LANGFORD.

THOMAS advanced to second on a wild pitch.

EVANS grounded out to 2b (1-0 B); THOMAS advanced to third.

PREVESK pinch hit for CAGLIANONE.

THOMAS scored on a wild pitch.

PREVESK singled to shortstop (3-2 KBSBBF).

LASTRES pinch hit for RIVERA.

LASTRES grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b (2-2 BBSK); PREVESK out on the play.

6th inning

HALTER walked (3-1 BBBKB).

SHELNUT flied out to rf (0-2 FK).

ROBERTSON grounded into double play 3b to 2b to 1b (2-1 KBB); HALTER out on the play, interference.

UF Inning Summary: 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB

URSITTI to p for FICARROTTA.

THOMPSON singled to center field (2-1 BKB).

TARGAC walked (3-2 BBFFFFFBB); THOMPSON advanced to second.

BOST homered to left field, 3 RBI (1-1 FB); TARGAC scored; THOMPSON scored.

TEJEDA JR. to p for URSITTI.

WELLS singled to center field, advanced to second on a fielding error by cf (0-0).

KAUFER grounded out to ss (2-1 BBK).

HAAS singled through the left side (1-1 KB); WELLS advanced to third.

MOSS singled to right field, RBI (0-0); HAAS advanced to second; WELLS scored, unearned.

WERNER doubled to right center, RBI (1-2 KBF); MOSS advanced to third; HAAS scored.

LAVIOLETTE struck out swinging (1-2 FFBFS).

THOMPSON singled to left field, RBI (1-0 B); WERNER advanced to third; MOSS scored.

TARGAC flied out to lf (3-2 BBBKKFFF).

TAMU Inning Summary: 6 Runs, 7 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB

5th inning

LANGFORD flied out to cf (0-0).

CAGLIANONE homered to left field, RBI (1-2 BKF).

RIVERA grounded out to p (3-1 KBBB).

RIOPELLE walked (3-2 BBFKBFB).

HEYMAN fielder’s choice to shortstop (1-1 BF); RIOPELLE out at second ss to 2b.

UF Inning Summary: 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB

HAAS walked (3-2 BFBBKB).

MOSS lined out to 3b (2-1 BFB).

WERNER lined out to lf (0-0).

LAVIOLETTE popped up to 2b (1-2 FKBFF).

TAMU Inning Summary: 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB

4th inning

HEYMAN struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b (2-2 FBBSS).

HALTER popped up to ss (1-2 BFF).

SHELNUT singled to left field (0-0).

ROBERTSON walked (3-2 BKBBFB); SHELNUT advanced to second.

CORTEZ to p for WANSING.

KURLAND grounded out to 2b (0-1 K).

UF Inning Summary: 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB

BOST hit by pitch (0-1 K).

WELLS singled to center field (0-0); BOST advanced to second.

KAUFER walked (3-2 BFBFBB); WELLS advanced to second; BOST advanced to third.

HAAS doubled down the rf line, 2 RBI (2-2 BBKF); KAUFER advanced to third; WELLS scored; BOST scored.

MOSS walked (3-2 BFFBBB).

WERNER grounded out to p, RBI (1-1 BK); MOSS advanced to second; HAAS advanced to third; KAUFER scored.

LAVIOLETTE intentionally walked.

THOMPSON singled to left field, 2 RBI (2-2 KKFBB); LAVIOLETTE advanced to second; MOSS scored; HAAS scored.

FICARROTTA to p for PURNELL.

THOMPSON advanced to second on a wild pitch; LAVIOLETTE advanced to third on a wild pitch.

TARGAC reached on a fielder’s choice to third base, advanced to second on a throwing error by 3b (3-2 KBBBKF); THOMPSON advanced to third; LAVIOLETTE scored, unearned.

BOST flied out to rf, SF, RBI (3-1 BKBB); TARGAC advanced to third; THOMPSON scored, unearned.

WELLS singled to second base, RBI (1-2 BFK); TARGAC scored, unearned.

KAUFER grounded out to ss (3-2 BBKBF).

TAMU Inning Summary: 8 Runs, 4 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB

3rd inning

LANGFORD struck out looking (2-2 BKKBFK).

CAGLIANONE singled to third base (1-2 FBF).

RIVERA flied out to rf (1-2 KSB).

RIOPELLE grounded out to 3b, bunt (0-0).

UF Inning Summary: 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB

HAAS homered to left field, RBI (2-1 BBK).

MOSS struck out swinging (3-2 BSFBBFS).

WERNER walked (3-2 BFSBBFB).

LAVIOLETTE struck out looking (1-2 SBSFFK).

THOMPSON walked (3-1 BBBKB); WERNER advanced to second.

TARGAC struck out swinging (1-2 SKBS).

TAMU Inning Summary: 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB

2nd inning

RIOPELLE lined out to 1b (2-1 FBB).

HEYMAN struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b (2-2 BSBFS).

HALTER walked (3-0 BBBB).

SHELNUT walked (3-2 BBSBKB); HALTER advanced to second.

ROBERTSON walked (3-2 BSBBKB); SHELNUT advanced to second; HALTER advanced to third.

KURLAND struck out looking (2-2 KBSBFFK).

UF Inning Summary: 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 3 LOB

THOMPSON grounded out to ss (1-1 BK).

TARGAC lined out to ss (0-2 FK).

BOST walked (3-1 BBBKB).

WELLS walked (3-1 BBBKB); BOST advanced to second.

KAUFER flied out to rf (2-1 KBB).

TAMU Inning Summary: 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB

1st inning

KURLAND singled up the middle (2-1 BBK).

LANGFORD reached on a fielder’s choice to shortstop (1-1 BK); KURLAND out at second ss to 2b.

CAGLIANONE struck out swinging (2-2 BKKBS).

RIVERA flied out to rf (1-0 B).

UF Inning Summary: 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB

HAAS popped up to 2b (1-1 BK).

MOSS walked (3-0 BBBB).

WERNER struck out swinging (1-2 BKSS); MOSS advanced to second on a wild pitch.

LAVIOLETTE struck out looking (3-2 BBKSBK).

TAMU Inning Summary: 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB

Lineups

Notes from the Gators’ win over the Aggies on Friday

• Florida won its sixth-straight game including its fourth-straight in SEC play.
• With his solo home run in the seventh inning, Kurland set the single-season home run record (14) for a Florida second baseman.
  • Ted Rich previously owned the record with 13 home runs in 1992.
• Florida improved to 4-0 when tied after six innings.
• Riopelle connected for his eighth home run of the season in the second inning and his ninth in the sixth.
  • The performance marked his first multi-homer game of the season.
• Neely improved to 10-for-10 in save chances.
• Rivera extended his team-leading on-base streak to 20 games.
• Florida has struck out 496 batters in 403 innings – translating to 11.1 per nine innings.
• The Gators have 484 hits through 47 games (10.3 hits/game).
• The Gators have scored in 47.7% of batted innings (180 of 377).
• Florida improved to 12-13 all-time against Texas A&M.
  • The Gators are 11-7 in the series under Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan and 4-3 in College Station.

Quotes

On game one…
“I thought we came out and swung the bats well offensively. Scored two in the second, one in the third and one in fourth. That’s kind of been our MO all year long. We keep kind of tacking on runs here and there. Credit A&M.

“The big three-run homer off of Brandon. I thought he pitched good. Honestly, I think the biggest difference in the ballgame was our bullpen. Everyone kind of came in and did their job. We didn’t leave anybody out there for very long. Brandon (Neely) walked a couple guys there and I think he was a little disappointed with himself.”

“At the end of the day, he made some really big pitches when he needed to. He got his changeup going against a really good, young hitter. The bottom line is when you’re playing on the road, sometimes you’re not going to get the benefit of the doubt. He made the big pitches when he needed to.”

On the bullpen…
“(Philip) Abner was really good. Cade (Fisher) got two ground balls and came in in a tough spot. Ryan (Slater) came in and got a strikeout to end the inning. Then Philip pitched great again. He threw the ball across the plate. Neely, even though he put himself in a difficult situation, he made some really good pitches there in the end.”

On Gators catcher BT Riopelle’s performance…
“That was probably one of the better at bats he’s had in a while, left-on-left. I thought Cade (Kurland) had a really good swing on a ball he hit out to right. BT had two home runs and their guys did a good job too. Most of the runs were manufactured with home runs — on both sides. At the end of the day, you’ve got to limit the walks on the road. Other than the ninth, we only walked two guys through the first eight.”

On the importance of taking the opener…
“You get to this part of the season, it’s hard to win any Friday night, especially on the road. They’ve got an older lineup. Like I said, every game matters. It just gets a little more magnified when you get to this part of the season. Going into the weekend, we were two back with nine to go. It’s not easy. — i’s a lot easier to lose than it is to win. It’s harder to win. Our bullpen did a real nice job. We scored enough.”