Starting pitcher Brandon Sproat fired six innings of two-run ball en route to a quality start while BT Riopelle (4-for-4) paced the Gators with one home run and six RBI.
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Florida plated six runs in the first two innings and held on to defeat Mississippi State by a score of 8-6 at Dudy Noble Field on Friday night.
Catcher BT Riopelle<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15114&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=ahqDv_ov33IcU1gIYm1C3UtDcJdA-Ek9h0E_9iM4Spj82eCzHwzckB1HwqQuc3iT&s=RUZESAqUdgG5xaEoC77nqCiyYd6kzQ3iKQkwwNYNlbE&e= > (4-for-4) had a career game at the plate, setting new personal bests with four hits and 6 RBI including a three-run home run. Wyatt Langford<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15097&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=ahqDv_ov33IcU1gIYm1C3UtDcJdA-Ek9h0E_9iM4Spj82eCzHwzckB1HwqQuc3iT&s=qIDfTL8Wn4K-e3j4kgtXIlw2zvxuEE4UBrCxQcI5t5s&e= > (3-for-4) also had a big offensive performance, scoring three runs and hitting his 15th homer of the season.
The Gators (27-18, 9-13 SEC) wasted no time loading up the bases in the first, as Langford connected for a leadoff single to right followed by walks from Sterlin Thompson<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15108&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=ahqDv_ov33IcU1gIYm1C3UtDcJdA-Ek9h0E_9iM4Spj82eCzHwzckB1HwqQuc3iT&s=UfYD_jDg9KdTnycIVQ0hmS4x-4M1pB1HWbhywvTZZt4&e= > and Jud Fabian<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15127&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=ahqDv_ov33IcU1gIYm1C3UtDcJdA-Ek9h0E_9iM4Spj82eCzHwzckB1HwqQuc3iT&s=4qo8hQmRqLHcTWf98pbR6Yohz7-KQYPhLyuA1Hcj1xA&e= >. With the bags juiced, Riopelle delivered a two-run single up the middle off starter Brandon Smith to hand Florida a 2-0 lead.
The Bulldogs (25-21, 9-13 SEC) were set down in order in the following half inning by starting pitcher Brandon Sproat<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15106&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=ahqDv_ov33IcU1gIYm1C3UtDcJdA-Ek9h0E_9iM4Spj82eCzHwzckB1HwqQuc3iT&s=PhQqeeo9S94qXnJZtk_y0sgnY3rBiMma5ir9dpq5Hek&e= >. Florida added on to its advantage in the top of the second, erupting for a four-run frame. Langford opened the scoring with a solo shot to right center, while Riopelle unloaded for a three-run homer to right to extend the lead to 6-0.
With the offense taking care of business, Sproat continued to go to work on the hill. The hard-throwing right-hander churned out zeros in the first four innings, allowing his first hit in the fourth while striking out four.
Florida added a seventh run in the fifth, with Riopelle picking up his third hit of the game via a leadoff single up the middle. After advancing to second on a groundout by Jac Caglianone<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15113&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=ahqDv_ov33IcU1gIYm1C3UtDcJdA-Ek9h0E_9iM4Spj82eCzHwzckB1HwqQuc3iT&s=jJfOP_3LerLIeG9nS_xX598vaCUjc0cgUiiTz06zND8&e= >, Riopelle came around to score on an RBI single to center field off the bat of Kendrick Calilao<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15092&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=ahqDv_ov33IcU1gIYm1C3UtDcJdA-Ek9h0E_9iM4Spj82eCzHwzckB1HwqQuc3iT&s=gJ9Nrlyh3337mhrwf-bcnvgtznsTmCPre_EXuqWCoY4&e= >.
Mississippi State finally got to Sproat in the bottom half of the fifth for a pair of runs. Lane Forsythe drove in the first run with a single to right, followed by a sacrifice fly to left by RJ Yeager.
Riopelle improved to 4-for-4 on the night in the sixth, doubling in Langford to make it 8-2 in favor of Florida.
Upon Sproat’s exit at the onset of the seventh, the Bulldog offense came alive. Mississippi State put together a three-run inning, as Kamren James, Luke Hancock and Logan Tanner all drove in runs.
The Bulldogs inched closer in the eighth, loading up the bases and bringing home a run with an RBI groundout to shortstop by Yeager. Right-hander Ryan Slater<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15105&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=ahqDv_ov33IcU1gIYm1C3UtDcJdA-Ek9h0E_9iM4Spj82eCzHwzckB1HwqQuc3iT&s=T72wmiXQKTAZHKNxBonYU_yGe-E3me0h62NtHBTdVwA&e= > limited the damage, working the Gators out of the frame with an 8-6 lead intact.
Slater returned to the hill to close the game out in the ninth and worked around a two-out single to record his third save of the campaign. He finished with 1 2/3 shutout innings on one hit and two walks.
Sproat (6-4) earned his second victory in as many outings, firing six innings with two earned runs allowed on six hits and one walk to pick up the quality start. The righty struck out five.
Mississippi State starting pitcher Brandon Smith fell to 3-4, tossing 4 2/3 innings with seven earned runs allowed on six hits and five walks. He struck out three.
Langford (3-for-4) and Riopelle (4-for-4) collected multiple hits in the victory.
NOTABLES
* Riopelle set career highs with four hits and six RBI, finishing 4-for-4 on the day.
* Sproat has now gone 5 1/3-plus innings in six-straight starts.
* He has thrown five-plus innings in nine of 12 starts this year while allowing three earned runs or less in eight of those outings.
* Florida is now 68-51 all-time against Mississippi State.
* The Gators are 28-25 vs. the Bulldogs on the road.
* Florida has won three-straight games against Mississippi State.
* Head coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_coaches.aspx-3Frc-3D1445&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=ahqDv_ov33IcU1gIYm1C3UtDcJdA-Ek9h0E_9iM4Spj82eCzHwzckB1HwqQuc3iT&s=k-_0zBLufpg3ROZJ5Sp-ZMcV_Tbq_xlH56Zc56zbwgc&e= > is 21-12 vs. MSU.
* That includes a 7-6 mark in Starkville.
* Josh Rivera<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15104&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=ahqDv_ov33IcU1gIYm1C3UtDcJdA-Ek9h0E_9iM4Spj82eCzHwzckB1HwqQuc3iT&s=5R6Qi-2k3rEo9qzA97zWOARrFRFCDMU2fAPAO-np6wI&e= > saw his team-leading 18-game on-base streak come to an end.
* Thompson extended his on-base streak to 15 games.
* Thompson drew a career-high four walks.
* Prior to Friday, he had only ever walked three times in a game once – in the second game of a doubleheader vs. Missouri on April 17, 2021.
* J. Fabian extended his on-base streak to 12 games.
FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O’SULLIVAN
On how the hot start played into the win…
“Especially on the road, Friday night, and faced a Friday night starter and came out and obviously swung the bats really well. Wyatt got us going, and then obviously, BT had a big night with four hits and Wyatt had three. The three-run homer in the second was really big for us and I thought Brandon Sproat<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15106&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=ahqDv_ov33IcU1gIYm1C3UtDcJdA-Ek9h0E_9iM4Spj82eCzHwzckB1HwqQuc3iT&s=PhQqeeo9S94qXnJZtk_y0sgnY3rBiMma5ir9dpq5Hek&e= > threw the ball really well again. He got us into the latter part of the game, made some big pitches and got the last guy to ground out on a really quality changeup down in the strike zone. I thought Ryan Slater<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15105&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=ahqDv_ov33IcU1gIYm1C3UtDcJdA-Ek9h0E_9iM4Spj82eCzHwzckB1HwqQuc3iT&s=T72wmiXQKTAZHKNxBonYU_yGe-E3me0h62NtHBTdVwA&e= >, other than the two walks, he settled in and pitched really well in the ninth.”
On Slater’s performance closing it out…
“You’re playing on the road in front of a big crowd and leadoff man gets on, and things can get a little hectic. But he did a really good job in the ninth and got the leadoff hitter. Obviously, finished the game there with the tying run at the plate. So, I thought he threw the ball really well.”
On the recent lineup shakeup…
“Any time you can get an early lead, hopefully it takes a little bit of pressure off you a little bit. But this is a nine-inning ballgame and all those runs really counted.”
UP NEXT
Florida and Mississippi State face off in game two on Saturday, which is scheduled to air on ESPNU at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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