Gators relievers combined for eight quality innings with one earned run allowed to secure a top-five series victory.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gators bullpen rose to the occasion with eight-innings of two-run ball as No. 7 Florida used a 6-2 win to clinch a series victory over No. 5 Vanderbilt in front of a crowd of 7,508 at Condron Family Ballpark on Saturday night.
With the win, Florida moved into a tie with Vanderbilt for first place in the SEC East at 17-9.
Right-hander Ryan Slater<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/ryan-slater/15506> provided four innings of one-run ball while Philip Abner<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/philip-abner/15488> and Brandon Neely<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/brandon-neely/15499> combined for the final four frames. Offensively, Josh Rivera<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/josh-rivera/15504> (3-for-4) posted a three-hit night in his return to the lineup while Cade Kurland<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/cade-kurland/15514> (2-for-3, HR) and Wyatt Langford<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/wyatt-langford/15497> (1-for-5) both drove in two runs.
After a weather delay halted the game for one hour and 16 minutes in the bottom of the first, play resumed with Kurland flying out to center field on a full count. Starter Devin Futrell remained on the hill after the delay for the Commodores (35-15, 17-9 SEC), while the Gators (39-12, 17-9 SEC) replaced Hurston Waldrep<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/hurston-waldrep/15517> with Slater after his lone inning of scoreless work.
On the heels of two shutout frames from Slater, Florida took a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the third. With two outs and a 1-1 count, Kurland smacked his 15th home run of the season to left field.
Vanderbilt snapped its 11-inning scoreless streak to open the series in the fifth. Leading off the frame, RJ Austin homered to straightaway left field to tie the matchup at one run apiece.
The Orange & Blue had an immediate answer in the bottom half, loading the bases and using a Langford double to left-center to retake the lead. Jac Caglianone<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jac-caglianone/15489> followed with a sacrifice fly while Rivera singled to left to plate Langford for a 5-1 Gator edge.
The Dores threated in the sixth with a pair of baserunners, but Abner stranded two with a clutch, inning-ending strikeout of Austin. The Gators took advantage of the zero, as Kurland drove in Deric Fabian<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/deric-fabian/15492> with a two-out single to center to make it 6-1.
Abner and Neely combined to limit the Commodores to a lone unearned run in the eighth, as David Diaz scored on a throwing error at shortstop. Neely returned to the mound in the ninth, firing a clean frame to secure the series for Florida.
Slater rose to 8-0 on the campaign with four innings of one-run ball. The right-hander surrendered two hits and two walks while striking out five.
Vanderbilt starter Devin Futrell fell to 6-3 after giving up five earned runs across 4 1/3 innings on five hits and one walk. The southpaw fanned seven.
Waldrep (6-3) lasted just one scoreless inning due to the weather delay. The right-hander allowed zero baserunners and struck out two.
NOTABLES
* Florida moved into a tie for first place with Vanderbilt in the SEC East.
* The Gators have won 11-straight series at Condron Family Ballpark dating back to last season.
* Saturday’s game had a one hour and 16-minute weather delay in the bottom of the first inning.
* Slater moved into second in the SEC with his eighth win of the season.
* Kurland hit his 15th home run of the season in the third inning, breaking a tie with Rivera for the second-most on the team.
* Florida scored five runs on Futrell – his first time allowing more than three runs in a start this season.
* Vanderbilt snapped an 11-inning scoreless streak in the series with RJ Austin’s solo homer in the fifth inning.
* Florida has struck out 524 batters in 433 innings – translating to 10.9 per nine innings.
* The Gators have 518 hits through 51 games (10.2 hits/game).
* The Gators have scored in 46.8% of batted innings (191 of 408).
* Florida is now 145-78-1 all-time vs. Vanderbilt including 83-24 at home.
* The Gators are 32-20 in the series under Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/kevin-o-sullivan/1551> featuring a 18-5 mark in Gainesville.
FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O’SULLIVAN
On the game…
“There’s a lot of stuff to gain from it. Ryan (Slater) came in and did a great job. He gave up a couple of hard contacts there in that last inning so we went to Philip (Abner) and he did his job. (Brandon) Neely did his thing. Our bullpen picked us up today. What turned into a really tough situation at the beginning of the game turned into a positive.”
On getting Rivera back…
“I’m sure (he did). It was weird writing the lineup up (on Friday) without him right there in the middle. He had a really good night coming back with three hits and made a great play to his left, probably saved a run. A really good night, honestly.”
On Fabian playing well…
“He had a couple more hits again and played a really good third base. It’s a really good story. I’m really happy for him, too. Cade Kurland<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/cade-kurland/15514> had another really good night at the plate. He had another two hits, hit the home run to left field and got us on the board against a really good (pitcher).”
UP NEXT
Florida and Vanderbilt face off in the series finale on Sunday with coverage on SEC Network+ at 1 p.m.
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