Luke Heyman (two) and Brody Donay slugged home runs for the Orange & Blue.
ATHENS, Ga. – Florida was defeated at the hands of No. 9 Georgia by a final score of 9-4 at Foley Field on Thursday night.
The series opener was a slugfest, as the Bulldogs (39-12, 17-11 SEC) and Gators (26-26, 11-17 SEC) each launched three home runs apiece. Luke Heyman<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/luke-heyman/16370> (2-for-4) and Brody Donay<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/brody-donay/16621> (1-for-4) smashed long balls for the Orange & Blue, with the former delivering his second multi-homer game in UF’s last three contests.
Georgia jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Leadoff man Corey Collins was plunked and later came in to score on a sacrifice fly to right field off the bat of Slate Alford. Paul Toetz then hit a two-out, two-run homer to right to cap off the frame. Georgia made it 4-0 in the second on a solo home run to center by Dillon Carter.
Florida answered in the top of the third to cut its deficit to 4-1. On a 1-2 offering, Heyman connected for a solo shot to left-center to put the Orange & Blue on the board.
UF starter Pierce Coppola<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/pierce-coppola/16367> was chased in the third after getting into a zero-out jam with runners on second and third. Right-hander Jake Clemente<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jake-clemente/16366> took over and struck out the first two batters he faced, then induced a groundout to second to strand a pair of Bulldogs.
The Gators got another run back in the top of the fourth, using a solo homer to left-center from Donay to draw within two at 4-2. Clemente held the momentum, retiring the side in order in the bottom half to maintain the score.
Georgia returned to the scoring column in the sixth, striking for three runs to push its lead to 7-2. Alford produced an RBI groundout to shortstop and Toetz singled home Tre Phelps with a knock through the left side. Fernando Gonzalez then doubled down the left-field line to plate Toetz for the frame’s final run.
The tally held at 7-2 through the top of the seventh until the Bulldogs scored two in bottom-seven to extend their advantage to 9-2. Following a leadoff Toetz single to center, Carter blasted another home run – this time a two-run bomb to center field.
Florida did no go quietly, plating two late runs in the ninth to bring the score to its final tally of 9-4. With two outs and a man on first, Heyman swatted his second homer of the night off the batter’s eye in straightaway center.
UGA starter Kolten Smith (9-2) earned the win on eight innings of two-run ball. The right-hander gave up four hits and one walk while fanning 12 batters.
Coppola (0-3) was stuck with the loss, surrendering four earned runs in two-plus innings. The southpaw was charged with four hits allowed and one walk.
NOTABLES
* Thursday’s official attendance was 3,900.
* Florida’s scoring streak of 131-consecutive games is the third-longest in program history (May 27, 2022-present).
* Caglianone extended his on-base streak to 38-straight contests while his 30-game hitting streak was snapped.
* Caglianone tied the fifth-longest, single-season hitting streak in SEC history and the longest hitting streak in the SEC since 2016.
* Caglianone has hit safely in 49 of 52 games while reaching safely in all but one contest.
* Caglianone’s 30-game streak is tied with Jacob Young (2019-21) for the UF program record.
* Heyman hit his 12th and 13th home runs of the season, setting a new single-season career high.
* Heyman owns two multi-homer performances in Florida’s last three games.
* Donay connected on his 11th homer of the campaign.
* Across the team’s last 81 tilts against SEC teams, Florida is 48-33.
* That includes a 40-30 regular-season mark.
* Florida is now 193-116-2 all-time vs. Georgia including an 86-65 mark in Athens.
* The Gators are 30-18 against the Bulldogs under head coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/kevin-o-sullivan/1752> (11-11 away).
* Florida has won 16 of the last 28 meetings.
UP NEXT
Florida and Georgia meet in game two on Friday, scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.
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