Starting pitcher Jac Caglianone pitched three shutout frames while blasting two home runs and driving in four.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 6 Florida used an 11-hit day to secure a series sweep of Siena with a 12-2 victory in seven innings at Condron Family Ballpark on Sunday afternoon.
Starting the game on the mound, Jac Caglianone<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jac-caglianone/15489> pitched three shutout frames while blasting two home runs and driving in four. Josh Rivera<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/josh-rivera/15504> also turned in a strong day offensively, finishing 2-for-3 with one homer and two runs scored.
The Gators (15-3) spotted Caglianone three runs in the first, beginning with an RBI single to left by Cade Kurland<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/cade-kurland/15514>. BT Riopelle<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/bt-riopelle/15503> and Tyler Shelnut<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/tyler-shelnut/15515> then drove in one run apiece, reaching on back-to-back fielder’s choice plays.
Florida put four more runs on the Saints (2-13) in the second. Kurland drove in his second run of the day with a fielder’s choice while Caglianone busted the game open with a three-run homer to left-center field.
Right-handed reliever Blake Purnell<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/blake-purnell/15502> took over for Caglianone in the fourth and promptly fired a scoreless inning. In the bottom half, Caglinaone and Rivera connected for back-to-back homers to push the score to 9-0.
In the fifth, Kurland crossed home on a Rivera single aided by a Siena throwing error at shortstop. Riopelle then produced a two-run single to right, bringing the score to its final tally of 12-2 via the 10-run rule.
The relief tandem of Clete Hartzog<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/clete-hartzog/15521> and Philip Abner<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/philip-abner/15488> delivered consecutive scoreless appearances to close out the game for the Orange & Blue. Hartzog pitched 1 2/3 shutout innings on one hit while striking out four. Abner walked one and struck out two en route to a scoreless seventh.
Caglianone (3-0) earned the victory in a controlled start, tossing three innings of scoreless ball. He surrendered one hit and two walks while striking out three.
Siena starting pitcher Sebastian Bentz (0-3) was saddled with the loss, allowing three earned runs on two hits and two walks in one frame. He struck out two.
NOTABLES
* On days in which he is the starting pitcher, Caglianone is 6-for-12 with five home runs and nine RBI.
* Florida has homered in 15-conescutive games, marking the Gators’ longest such streak in the last 25 years.
* All 10 of Hartzog’s recorded outs this season have been strikeouts.
* Six UF pitchers have combined to strike out the side in order eight times this season – Hartzog and Hurston Waldrep<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/hurston-waldrep/15517> have both done so twice.
* With a short week coming up for UF against Alabama, Florida starting pitchers Brandon Sproat<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/brandon-sproat/15508>, Hurston Waldrep<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/hurston-waldrep/15517> and Caglianone combined for 11 shutout innings, six hits allowed and 17 strikeouts this weekend against Siena.
* The Gators have now won seven games via the 10-run rule this season including back-to-back contests.
* Rivera extended his team-leading reached base streaks to 18 games.
* Three other Gators also have double-digit reached base streaks: Kurland (17), Caglianone (17) and Robertson (15).
* Florida has struck out 209 batters in 151 innings – translating to 12.5 per nine innings.
* Through 18 games, Florida has a run differential of plus-115.
* The Gators have scored in 84 of 142 batted innings this season (59.2%).
* For the 16th time in 18 games this year, the Gators recorded double-digit hits.
* The Gators have a nation-leading 221 hits through 18 games (12.3 hits/game).
* The Gators improve to 18-0 against Siena including 10-0 under Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/kevin-o-sullivan/1551>.
FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O’SULLIVAN
On the new top of the order…
“I believe it makes our lineup a little better when we have Cade in the two-spot protecting Jac and obviously, Josh [Rivera] and Jac had really good days today, and Josh has been swinging the bat really well last week and a half or so.”
On Caglianone’s start…
“…Made some pitches when he needed to. Typical Jac, he seems to rise to the occasion. We wanted to keep him around 45 pitches today, and he was good for us, and now we’re planning ahead for next week.”
On Hartzog and his arsenal…
“He’s got a good arm. I don’t know what the spin rate is on the fastball but it looks different. I know the gun reads 92-94, but it plays up a little bit.”
UP NEXT
Florida hosts North Florida on Tuesday at 6 p.m. on SEC Network+. No. 16 Alabama then visits for SEC Opening Weekend from Thursday, March 16 through Saturday, March 18.
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