Florida notched 17 hits but the Bulls used a seven-run ninth to mount a late comeback.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 7 Florida dropped Wednesday night’s non-conference contest to South Florida by a score of 10-9 in a back-and-forth affair at Condron Family Ballpark.
For the second-straight game, Jac Caglianone<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jac-caglianone/15489> accounted for the Gators’ (4-1) first run with a solo home run – this time to right-center field. Caglianone’s second homer of the year traveled 430 feet and put Florida ahead, 1-0.
Two innings later, the Bulls (2-3) took a 2-1 lead with a two-run third. Drew Brutcher came in to score on a fielder’s choice aided by a throwing error at shortstop, while Nelson Rivera plated Marcus Brodil with a single to right field.
Florida answered back in the bottom half of the frame to jump in front, 3-2. After leading off with a single, Rene Lastres<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/rene-lastres/15498> advanced to third on a Michael Robertson<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/michael-robertson/15505> double and crossed home on a sacrifice fly by Wyatt Langford<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/wyatt-langford/15497>. Josh Rivera<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/josh-rivera/15504> gave the Gators the lead with a two-out single to left-center.
In a matchup with four lead changes, the Bulls knotted things up in the fifth following an uneventful fourth. With Bobby Boser on second base, Travis Sankovich produced an RBI single to right to tie the game at three runs apiece.
In the bottom of the fifth, Florida stormed back with a three-run inning. Dale Thomas<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/dale-thomas/15512> got the rally going with a leadoff double, followed by RBI singles off the bats off Caglianone, Rivera and Ty Evans<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/ty-evans/15491> to make it 6-3 in favor of the Gators.
Right-hander Nick Ficarrotta<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/nick-ficarrotta/15493> provided stability in the middle innings, relieving starter Yoel Tejeda Jr.<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/yoel-tejeda-jr-/15518> at the onset of the fourth. Seeing action for the first time this season, Ficarrotta allowed one run over 3 2/3 innings on four hits. He struck out a career-high seven batters.
The Gators added a pair of runs in the eighth. After doubling to lead off, Luke Heyman<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/luke-heyman/15522> scored on a fielding error by Bulls pitcher Tyler Dietz. Robertson accounted for Florida’s eighth run of the night, singling in Thomas with a flair to center.
South Florida mounted a late rally in the ninth, regaining the lead with seven runs. Drew Brutcher and Jackson Mayo highlighted the inning with homers, with the latter being a three-run shot to tie the game. Daniel Cantu provided the go ahead run with an RBI triple to center and later scored on a passed ball to bring the score to 10-8.
Florida attempted to rally back one last time, but it fizzled despite Matt Prevesk<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/matt-prevesk/15501> bringing the Gators within one run via a pinch-hit, RBI single to center.
Tejeda Jr. received a no-decision in the first start of his career. He allowed two earned runs over three innings with four hits allowed and two walks while striking out one.
Fisher Jameson<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/fisher-jameson/15496> (0-1) was saddled with the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) in one-third of an inning on two hits and one walk. He struck out one.
Bulls reliever Chandler Dorsey (1-0) earned the win. Pitching the final 1 1/3 innings, he surrendered one earned run on two hits and two walks while striking out two.
Every member of the Gators starting lineup picked up a hit, led by Caglianone (3-for-3), who homered for the second-consecutive night while adding two runs and two RBI.
NOTABLES
* Florida has collected double-digit hits in four of five games this season, finishing with a season-high 17 hits on Wednesday.
* The Gators have 62 hits through five games (12.4 hits/game).
* Of the 10 Gators hurlers to throw at least one inning, eight have struck out more than one batter per inning.
* Through five games, Florida has six pitchers who have struck out at least five batters.
* Ficarrotta struck out a career high seven batters across 3 2/3 innings of relief.
* Caglianone tied his career high with three hits for the second-straight game.
* Caglianone went 3-for-3 with two walks, becoming the second Gator this season to reach base safely in all five plate appearances (Rivera, Feb. 17 vs. Charleston Southern).
* Making his first-career start, Tejeda Jr. allowed two earned runs across three innings. He allowed four hits and two walks while striking out one.
* The Gators drop to 64-28 all-time against the Bulls including 43-12 at home.
* Florida was still won 26 of the last 31 against USF.
* Under head coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/kevin-o-sullivan/1551>, Florida falls to 23-5 against South Florida.
FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O’SULLIVAN
On the loss…
“We used [Brandon] Neely and [Ryan] Slater yesterday. It’s too early in the year to go back-to-back days with them. We just didn’t play very good defense, that’s the bottom line, which is very uncharacteristic of the way it’s been in the preseason and first four games or so. It’s a lot to learn. We are just going to have to get some help from some other guys on the mound, but defensively we didn’t help ourselves.”
On the offense…
“We tried to give a couple guys who are regular starters tonight off. Offensively, it wasn’t the issue. We just needed to get three outs there in the ninth.”
On tonight’s pitching…
“The bottom line is, on the mound, we need to get some help from some other guys, especially in the midweek games. You got to play clean, that’s the bottom line. We had a double play we didn’t turn, dropped a ball there in right. It’s disappointing the way it ended, but the bottom line is we didn’t deserve to win and South Florida took advantage of our mistakes.”
UP NEXT
Cincinnati comes to town for a three-game series spanning from Friday, Feb. 24 to Sunday, Feb. 26. All three games will stream on SEC Network+.
###
