Starter Brandon Sproat pitched 5 2/3 no-hit innings while BT Riopelle went 3-for-5 with one home run and five RBI.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 7 Florida used a 14-hit barrage to take down Charleston Southern by a score of 13-3 in a seven-inning season opener at Condron Family Ballpark on Friday night.
Although eight different Gators picked up hits, Florida’s offensive charge was led by BT Riopelle<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/bt-riopelle/15503>, who drove in five runs thanks to a three-run homer in the first inning and an RBI double in the sixth. He finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored.
Wyatt Langford<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/wyatt-langford/15497> went 2-for-4 with a pair of extra-base hits while Josh Rivera<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/josh-rivera/15504> was 2-for-2 with three runs, two RBI and two walks. Making his Division I debut, Tyler Shelnut<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/tyler-shelnut/15515> picked up his first two Gator hits, going 2-for-2 with two doubles, two runs and one RBI.
The Buccaneers (0-1) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, with Jaylin Rae driving in Ike George with a sacrifice fly to center field. The Gators (1-0) answered right back, starting in the form of a one-out Langford triple. After a Rivera walk, Riopelle uncorked a three-run homer to right-center to open up a 3-1 advantage for the Orange & Blue.
In the second, Shelnut picked up a two-out double for the first hit of his Gators career. Michael Robertson<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/michael-robertson/15505> followed with his first-career base knock, using a single up the middle to plate Shelnut and making it a 4-1 ballgame.
With the Gators firmly in control, staff ace Brandon Sproat<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/brandon-sproat/15508> kept Charleston Southern in check. Following the lone run in the first, Sproat blanked the Bucs from the second through the fifth and did not surrender a hit for the duration of the outing.
The Gators kept the scoring going in the fourth, as a Langford walk forced home Deric Fabian<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/deric-fabian/15492> with the bases loaded. Rivera then ripped a two-run single to right-center, while Shelnut added an RBI double in the fifth to bring the score to 8-1.
Charleston Southern’s first hit did not come until the sixth inning, but it produced a pair of runs. With two men on, Tyrell Brewer came through with a two-run single to right field. Florida quickly got those runs back, responding for four runs in the bottom half. Jac Caglianone<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jac-caglianone/15489> got it going with an RBI single, then Riopelle produced an RBI double and Ty Evans<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/ty-evans/15491> cracked a two-run single to push the lead to 12-3.
In the bottom of the seventh, Rivera was plunked by a pitch and advanced to third on a series of wild pitches. That opened the door for Riopelle to end the game, which he promptly did with a single to right field – pushing the score to 13-3 and invoking the newly-adopted 10-run rule after seven frames.
Sproat (1-0) earned the victory, going 5 2/3 innings with three earned runs allowed on zero hits and three walks. He struck out seven.
Charleston Southern starter Zac Robinson (0-1) received the loss, pitching two innings with four earned runs allowed on four hits and two walks. He struck out two.
Langford (2-for-4), Rivera (2-for-2), Riopelle (3-for-5), Evans (2-for-4) and Shelnut (2-for-2) all collected multiple hits.
NOTABLES
* With the SEC’s newly adopted mercy rule in effect, the season opener ended after seven innings as the Gators held a 10-run lead.
* Sproat did not surrender a hit in Friday night’s start across 5 2/3 innings.
* Charleston Southern notched their first hit in the sixth inning.
* Across the last two opening days, Florida starters have combined for 18 strikeouts and one hit allowed, as Hunter Barco<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/hunter-barco/15091> surrendered one hit with 11 strikeouts in 2022.
* Shelnut collected his first two hits as a Gator, doubling twice in the victory.
* Freshman Michael Robertson<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/michael-robertson/15505> also picked up his first-career hit.
* Rivera reached base safely in all of his plate appearances for the first time in his career.
* Rivera reached base five times, finishing 2-for-2 with three runs, two RBI and two walks.
* With tonight’s victory, Florida has now won 10-straight season openers dating back to 2014.
* Under head coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/kevin-o-sullivan/1551>, Florida improves to 15-1 in season openers and the program is 39-7 in season-opening series during his tenure.
* Florida improves to 67-41-1 all-time in season openers including 47-21-1 at home.
* Florida welcome a crowd of 5,924 fans on Opening Night.
FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O’SULLIVAN
On Brandon Sproat’s<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/brandon-sproat/15508> outing…
“We’ve got him up to about 70, 75 pitches and often time just kind of watch. The velocity didn’t drop off at all and he still looked sharp. I thought he threw the ball good. I know the line is a little weird. He walked three and hit two, but for the most part. It’s opening night, he probably was amped up, but overall I thought he played well.”
On the new players meshing with the returners…
“We’ve only played one game. I think you ask around every team, everybody thinks they’ve got great chemistry this time of year, but the real test is when we go through some struggles like everybody does. They’ve been fine. The older guys have accepted the new guys and freshmen. Like I said, the real test is when we don’t play our best for a short period of time.”
On the youth of this team and the day one jitters…
“I think Wyatt’s triple kind of made everyone relax a little bit. Not that they were uptight, but I think everybody was, it’s still a big night. It’s just different. I thought Michael Robertson<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/michael-robertson/15505> had three really good at bats, only had one hit to show for it. BT had a big night. I think every starter but one had a hit. I thought offensively we did good.”
UP NEXT
Florida and Charleston Southern face off again tomorrow at 4 p.m. for the second game of this weekend’s three-game series. Each game of the season-opening set will stream live on SEC Network+.
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