Wyatt Langford nears Florida Gators homer record
Wyatt Langford launched two home runs against Central Michigan in the Gainesville Regional, helping the Florida Gators advance with a 6-5 win. The two home runs moved the sophomore outfielder from Trenton into sole possession of second place on the UF single-season home run record list. He trails Gator Great Matt LaPorta by just one home run.
It was also Langford’s fifth multi-home run game of the season, his 70th run scored, and his 62nd RBI on the campaign.
“We’ve had some really good hitters come through here, but it seems like every time he comes to the plate, he’s got a chance to do something special,” Kevin O’Sullivan said of Langford. “When guys are hot like this, you sit back and enjoy it. It kind of reminds me of when Preston Tucker was here. When he would get hot the whole ballpark would stop and watch him.”
LaPorta’s record-setting season
LaPorta got off to a great start in Gainesville. He was chosen as a First-Team Freshman All-American by Baseball America and was named to the SEC All-Freshman team released by SEBaseball.com. He played in 50 games and started a total of 36 games for the Gators at four different positions (17 at catcher, 12 as the designated hitter, six in left field, and one at first base).
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It was his sophomore season that LaPorta really arrived. LaPorta led the NCAA and set the single-season Florida home run record with 26 home runs. He also started all 70 games that season, hitting .328 with 16 doubles, two triples, and 79 RBI. It was a remarkable season, which earned LaPorta SEC Player of the Year honors. He was the first Florida Gator to earn that honor. LaPorta was recognized as a first-team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball Louisville Slugger, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), and USA Today/Sports Weekly. The first-team All-SEC pick also secured all-tournament honors at both the NCAA Gainesville Regional and the SEC Tournament. La Porta was named the SEC Player of the Week on three occasions (Feb. 21, April 25, May 23).
Langford’s season vs LaPorta’s
LaPorta’s 2005 campaign earned him SEC Player of the Year honors and All-American. Langford’s 2022 campaign stacks up favorably against LaPorta’s despite not being named to the First Team All-SEC roster. Langford, in six less games than LaPorta, has as many hits, more triples, a better average and slugging percentage than LaPorta’s record-setting year.
| GP/GS | AVG | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SLG | BB | |
| Wyatt Langford | 64-64 | .354 | 71 | 87 | 9 | 3 | 25 | 62 | .720 | 36 |
| Matt LaPorta | 70-70 | .328 | 75 | 87 | 16 | 2 | 26 | 79 | 0.698 | 44 |
