Bobby Boser went a combined 4-for-8 with two homers and eight RBI while Aidan King earned the win via six shutout frames in game one.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 7-ranked Gators secured both ends of a doubleheader in convincing fashion to deliver a series sweep of Harvard, winning by scores of 7-0 and 22-6 at Condron Family Ballpark on Saturday.
Florida improved to 15-2 on the campaign and is now winners of four-straight games after sweeping the Crimson (0-9). The Orange & Blue’s first victory of the day saw the Gators turn in back-to-back shutouts for the first time since the 2017 NCAA Tournament (following Friday night’s 11-0 win).
In game one, freshman righty Aidan King<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/aidan-king/17366> was nearly untouchable across a career-high six shutout, two-hit innings. Earning his first win as a weekend starter, the rookie also fanned a career-high eight batters. He received more than enough run support, thanks to a pair of home runs – including a second-inning grand slam – from Bobby Boser<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/bobby-boser/17349>, who finished 2-for-4 and drove in six of UF’s seven runs in game one.
As for the nightcap, slugger Brody Donay<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/brody-donay/17324> led the way with a 2-for-2 showing featuring a two-run home run, five runs scored and three walks. Donay reached safely in eight of his nine plate appearances across the twin bill.
Brendan Lawson<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/brendan-lawson/17350> also added a two-run homer and four RBI in the nightcap while Boser collected two more hits featuring one double, two RBI and two runs to put the finishing touches on an outstanding day at the dish. Across both contests, Boser went a combined 4-for-8 with two homers, eight RBI and four runs.
Game 1 | Florida 7, Harvard 0 (7)
Following a 90-minute weather delay, the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader got underway at 1:31 p.m. with an efficient, one-two-three inning from King. The Gators wasted no time striking first, as Boser blasted a two-run home run off the batter’s eye in center for a 2-0 lead after one.
King went right back to work, retiring the side in order again in the second. In the home half, Hayden Yost<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/hayden-yost/17337> singled in between walks of Luke Heyman<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/luke-heyman/17327> and Justin Nadeau<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/justin-nadeau/17342> to set the table for Boser. The senior came through once again, unleashing a grand slam to right-center for his second homer of the day as well as a 6-0 Florida advantage.
Despite allowing a leadoff infield single to Jack Rickheim, King held the Crimson in check in the third inning while picking up his fourth strikeout of the day. After tossing a zero in the fourth, King used his sixth strikeout to strand a runner on third and complete five scoreless innings.
Still in control of a commanding lead, the Gators struck again in the fifth to go ahead, 7-0. Blake Cyr<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/blake-cyr/17347> stroked a one-out single to left, advanced to second on a Heyman walk and came in to score on an RBI single to center off the bat of Yost.
King set the side down in order again in the sixth, using his seventh and eighth strikeouts for the final two outs. His stellar performance came to an end in the seventh, as the Gators turned to right-hander Caden McDonald<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/caden-mcdonald/17329> for the final three outs. McDonald sandwiched a flyout to right in between a pair of swinging strikeouts to cement the 7-0 victory in the first leg of the twin bill.
King (3-0) earned his first win as a weekend starter, twirling a career-high six shutout, two-hit innings. He struck out a career-high eight batters against just one walk.
Harvard starter Truman Pauley fell to 0-3 after surrendering six earned runs across three frames. He finished with five hits allowed, four walks and two strikeouts.
Game 2 | Florida 22, Harvard 6 (7)
The Gators and Crimson traded blows in the opening frame of the finale, as Harvard threw the first jab with a two-run double from Liam Wilson. Florida answered right back to take a 3-2 lead, beginning with back-to-back doubles by Nadeau and Boser to lead it off. Lawson knotted the ballgame with an RBI single through the right side while Donay scampered home on a wild pitch after reaching on a walk to put the Gators in front.
UF starter Matthew Jenkins<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/matthew-jenkins/17361> rebounded for a clean frame in the second, registering consecutive strikeouts for the last two outs. He threw another zero in the third, opening the door for the Orange & Blue to extend its one-run edge. Shelton worked a leadoff walk and Donay capitalized, cranking a two-run shot into the left-field bullpen for a 5-2 Gators lead.
The Gators were not finished in the third, as Landon Stripling<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/landon-stripling/17351> drew a walk followed by back-to-back, two-out singles from Ty Evans<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/ty-evans/17325> and Yost. The latter of the two knocks plated Stripling for Florida’s sixth run while a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch of Boser forced home Evans to make it 7-2.
Harvard got three runs back in the fourth, using an RBI triple to right-center to score Williams Lybrook for the first. George Cooper then singled home Rickheim while Tyler Shulman drove in Matt Giberti with a sacrifice fly to center.
With their lead cut to 7-5, the Gators quickly erupted for five runs in the home half to snag a seven-run advantage at 12-5. Donay walked, advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt and scored on a wild pitch. From there, Lawson walked and moved into scoring position on a Stripling double. Evans cashed in with a sharply-hit, two-run double down the left-field line. Evans later scored on an RBI groundout to short by Yost, while Nadeau plated Evans with a single to center for the frame’s fifth and final tally.
Right-handed pitcher Christian Rodriguez<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/christian-rodriguez/17334> assumed pitching duties in the top of the fifth for the Gators. Rodriguez held the Crimson scoreless while recording a pair of strikeouts to maintain the score.
In the bottom of the fifth, Florida plated four more runs to put the game firmly out of reach at 16-5. Donay singled to set the table for Lawson, who uncorked a two-run blast into Dizney Grove in right-center field. After reaching on an infield single, Cyr was driven in on an RBI triple from Evans, who subsequently scored on a wild pitch for the Gators’ 16th run.
Harvard show late life in the sixth, cutting the UF lead to 16-6 on a pinch-hit, solo homer to left by Peter Levin. The Gators had yet answer response in store, however, scoring six more in the sixth starting via an RBI groundout by Lawson and two-run single to right off the bat of Stripling. With the bases loaded and two outs, Yost cleared the bags with a three-run triple to left-center, bringing the score to its final tally of 22-6.
Florida called on freshman righty Jackson Barberi<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jackson-barberi/17354> for the final three outs, who provided just that with three-straight strikeouts of the Harvard order. That put the finishing touches on the doubleheader and series sweep for the Orange & Blue.
McNeillie (2-0) picked up the win. The sophomore provided one inning of relief and was charged with three runs on three hits, zero walks and two strikeouts.
Jenkins did not factor into the decision. The right-hander pitched three innings of two-run ball on four hits and two walks. He struck out four.
Crimson starting pitcher Gio Colasante (0-2) was saddled with the loss in the finale. He allowed three earned runs over two innings on three hits and two walks.
NOTABLES
* NOTE: Both ends of Saturday’s doubleheader were shortened, seven-inning contests.
* The Gators posted their fourth-straight series win to open the season featuring their third series sweep.
* Florida allowed six total runs in the three-game series, outscoring Harvard, 41-6.
* In game one of the twin bill, the Gators posted back-to-back shutouts for the first time since the 2017 postseason (June 12, 2017 Super Regional vs. No. 14 Wake Forest, 3-0; June 18, 2017 CWS vs. No. 7 TCU, 2-0).
* In the nightcap, the Gators tallied a season-high 22 runs and 16 hits in six offensive innings.
* Florida’s 22 runs in the finale marked the team’s most since defeating No. 7 LSU, 24-4, on June 25, 2023 at the College World Series.
* King pitched a career-high six shutout, no-hit frames in his weekend debut to improve to 3-0 in game one, also setting a personal best with eight strikeouts against one walk.
* Boser swatted his sixth and seventh homers of the season in the first and second innings of game one.
* The Gators are 6-0 when Boser homers.
* It marked Boser’s third-career multi-homer game including his first in Orange & Blue.
* Boser drove in six runs in the first two innings alone.
* Boser finished a combined 4-for-8 with two homers, one double, eight RBI and four runs across the doubleheader.
* Donay drilled his team-leading eighth home run of the campaign in the third inning of the finale.
* Donay reached base safely eight times in nine plate appearances on Saturday.
* Lawson connected for his fourth homer of the year in the fifth inning.
* Evans finished a home run shy of the cycle in the series finale.
* Cyr and Shelton have reached safely in all 17 games this season.
* Florida pitchers have produced a 203-to-47 strikeout-to-walk ratio through 15 games.
* Florida is 9-0 all-time against Harvard, with all nine meetings in Gainesville.
* The Gators are 6-0 in the series under Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/kevin-o-sullivan/1999>.
* Saturday’s official attendance was 7,019.
FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O’SULLIVAN
On King’s starting pitching performance…
“I thought he was outstanding. I mean, threw his fastball to both sides of the plate. Had his slider going, straight change going, split-finger going, had all four pitches going. He was extremely efficient and he was really good.”
On Evans getting going in the finale…
“Yeah, obviously he’s been a staple in our program. He’s, you know, a veteran. He’s played in Omaha a few times and he’s had some really big moments, and so I think this weekend was really good for him.”
FROM SENIOR INF BOBBY BOSER
On his two early homers…
“It kind of just sparks the day. I mean, getting those two barrels in your first two at bats is pretty huge. It builds confidence through those two at bats and then carry it on throughout the rest of the day, it’s pretty huge.”
On the home run competition between himself and Donay…
“It’s awesome. We feed off of each other, just bounce back and forth. He’s unreal. He’s an unreal hitter, great player and I’m just glad to be in the lineup with these guys and produce with these guys.”
UP NEXT
The Gators travel to Tallahassee, Fla. on Tuesday for the first of three meetings against Florida State. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. on ACCNX.
###
