For the first time in eight years, Florida had two players (Josh Rivera and Jac Caglianone) post multi-homer games in the same contest.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 7 Florida hit a program-record eight home runs while collecting 13 hits to sweep Cincinnati with a 13-7 victory at Condron Family Ballpark on Sunday afternoon.
On the historic day at the dish, five different Gators connected for home runs: Jac Caglianone<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jac-caglianone/15489> (three), Josh Rivera<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/josh-rivera/15504> (two), Cade Kurland<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/cade-kurland/15514>, Luke Heyman<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/luke-heyman/15522> and Colby Halter<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/colby-halter/15495>. Caglianone became the first Florida player to hit three homers in a game since Jud Fabian<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jud-fabian/15127> vs. South Florida on May 4, 2022, while Rivera posted his first-career multi-homer game.
For the first time in eight years, the Gators had two players (Rivera and Caglianone) post multi-homer games in the same contest. JJ Schwarz (four) and Dalton Guthrie (two) last accomplished the feat vs. Stetson on April 7, 2015.
The Bearcats struck first in the finale. After loading up the bases in the opening inning, Kameron Guidry drove in Cole Harting on a Florida fielding error at first base. Despite the miscue, UF starter Caglianone limited the damage to one run.
Holding a 1-0 deficit, the Gators (7-1) evened up the score in the bottom of the second. On the first pitch of the at bat, Rivera drilled one off the batter’s eye in center for a game-tying solo shot.
Two innings later, Rivera stepped to the plate again and found the barrel of the bat. With BT Riopelle<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/bt-riopelle/15503> on first, Rivera went the other way for a two-run jack to right field to make it 3-1.
Caglianone settled in after the eventful first, blanking the Bearcats from the second through the fourth while collecting six strikeouts. The southpaw ran into some trouble in the fifth, as Blake Purnell<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/blake-purnell/15502> took over with two outs and the bags loaded.
Cincinnati scraped across two runs upon Caglianone’s exit to tie the game, although both were charged to the left-hander. The first came in on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch of Guidry while the second was plated on a Landyn Vidourek walk with the bags full.
No longer on the hill but remaining in the game at designated hitter, Caglianone put the Gators back on top with his fourth homer of the week in the bottom of the fifth. Leaving the yard to straightaway left field, Caglianone drove in Langford for a two-run blast to make it 5-3.
The Bearcats scored in the sixth to briefly make it a one-run contest, with Harting singling through the left side to bring in Josh Hegemann. Florida busted out the fireworks in the bottom half, erupting for three home runs. Heyman and Halter opened the inning with back-to-back homers, followed by a two-run tank to right off the bat of Caglianone.
Faced with a 9-4 deficit, the Bearcats used a Kyle Schupmann RBI single in the seventh to draw within five runs – but Florida put the game on ice in the bottom of the eighth. Kurland and Caglianone both blasted home runs, with Caglianone’s being his third of the game. Rivera then accounted for Florida’s final run, singling in Riopelle to bring the score to 13-5.
Cincinnati scored two runs in the top of the ninth on a two-run homer by Schupmann, but Brandon Neely<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/brandon-neely/15499> put the finishing touches on the matchup to collect his second save of the campaign.
Left-hander Cade Fisher<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/cade-fisher/15513> (1-0) earned his first-career win, firing 1 2/3 innings of relief and allowing two earned runs on five hits and one walk. He struck out two. Caglianone pitched 4 2/3 frames, allowing three earned runs on two hits and four walks. He struck out six and received a no-decision.
Cincinnati reliever Mitch White dropped to 0-1, giving up two earned runs across one inning. He allowed two hits and one walk, striking out one batter. Bearcats starting pitcher Chase Hopewell tossed four innings of three-run ball, surrendering four hits and three walks while striking out three.
Kurland (2-for-5), Caglianone (3-for-5), Riopelle (2-for-4), Rivera (3-for-4) and Heyman (2-for-4) all picked up multiple hits in the series finale.
NOTABLES
* The Gators set a new team record with eight home runs in a single game.
* Florida previously had four games with seven home runs, with the most recent coming on April 7, 2015 vs. Stetson.
* Florida had two players (Rivera, Caglianone) post multi-homer games in the same contest for the first time since JJ Schwarz (four) and Dalton Guthrie (two) accomplished the feat vs. Stetson on April 7, 2015.
* The Gators open the season with back-to-back series sweeps for the first time since 2020.
* Florida’s run differential of plus-59 is the team’s best through eight games since the 2003 season (plus-63).
* The Gators have scored in 40 of 63 batted innings this season (63.5%).
* For the seventh time in eight games this year, the Gators recorded double-digit hits.
* Florida has posted nine or more hits in every game this season.
* The Gators have 102 hits through eight games (12.8 hits/game).
* Rivera recorded his first-career multi-homer game, finishing 3-for-4 with four RBI and three runs scored.
* Making his second career-start, Caglianone pitched 4 2/3 innings of three-run ball, striking out six while also hitting a career-high three home runs.
* Kurland continued his torrid start at the plate, going 2-for-5with one home run.
* Kurland has registered at least two hits in all six of his starts to begin his career.
* The Gators improve to 6-0 all-time vs. Cincinnati including 3-0 under Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/kevin-o-sullivan/1551>.
* All six games have taken place in Gainesville.
FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O’SULLIVAN
On Caglianone playing two ways…
“He’s done it his whole life and I wanted to prepare him for next weekend. Other than the first, I thought he threw good. He got into a really good rhythm and groove. I think he probably got a little bit tired there at the end. Keep in mind, this is only his second start. To get him to 90 pitches was good. He obviously wasn’t as sharp as his first outing, but I thought he pitched really good after the first and made some pitches when he needed to, got two pop ups to Luke [Heyman]. We’re asking a lot of him and if he’s going to end up being our Sunday starter, that’s a pretty good Sunday starter. Everything is new for him. Like I said, regardless of how talented he is, it’s only his second start since he’s been here since high school. Things spiraled out of control in the first and he reeled it back in and limited it to one run. He got into a really good rhythm. Like I said yesterday, we were going to hit him because he’s done it his whole life.”
On the team’s program-record eight homers…
“I don’t think I’ve seen that. Our field plays true, 380 feet in the gaps. Josh had a great weekend, too. Offensively, it was a really good weekend and we saw some good arms. It’s not like we didn’t see very good arms. Like I said yesterday, Cincinnati’s going to be just fine. They play in a really good league. Their coach does a really good job. There’s been a huge emphasis – our assistant coaches have done a really good job of emphasizing staying in the middle of the field. It’s easier said than done. We practice every day staying in the middle and that’s when we end up driving balls. We’re not pulling off pitches, we’re staying on pitches. Obviously, it was a great weekend offensively.”
On the production up and down the lineup…
“It’s good to see Colby hit the home run and get a couple of hits. He had a couple of hits yesterday, so I thought Colby played good. Richie, his numbers may not say that he’s swinging the bat good, but he had some really good at bats all weekend. He’s a tough out. With [Michael Robertson<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/michael-robertson/15505>] out, he’s done a really good job. I thought Wyatt played a really good center field. Looks like Wyatt’s back to where he should be. Looks like he’s comfortable in the box again. Offensively, obviously we can’t complain.”
UP NEXT
Florida has two midweek games next week in the form of a home-and-home with Jacksonville. The Gators travel to take on the Dolphins on the road on Tuesday at 6 p.m., before hosting Jacksonville on Wednesday on SEC Network+ at the same time.
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