Florida freshman second baseman Cade Curland stepped into the batter’s box at Condron Ballpark.
After working into a full count, the Tampa, Florida, product found a pitch he liked.
Kurland smashed the ball deep past the left field fence, over the berm, and into Hull Road for a monster home run that sparked an offensive explosion for the Gators.
The No. 7 Florida Gators (5-1) defeated the Cincinnati Bearcats (2-3) 13-6. Florida scored in seven straight innings in the victory. Junior Brandon Sproat started on the mound for the Gators and struck out a career-high nine batters. He allowed four hits and three runs in five innings of action.
“I wouldn’t say everything was the best,” Sproat said about his performance. “I felt good in the game, then had a hiccup there in the fifth.”
Cincinnati sophomore Kerrington Cross cranked the first pitch of the game into left field, but Florida junior left fielder Wyatt Langford tracked the ball in the air for an out. Sproat retired the first two batters in three pitches after junior designated hitter popped up behind home plate.
Junior Bearcats first baseman Ryan Nicholson tripled into deep center field, but Florida forced the next batter into a groundout to end a scoreless half-inning.
Freshman Gators center fielder Michael Robertson — who was unable to track the ball on Nicholson’s triple — walked on Florida’s first at-bat. The freshman was pulled at first base and was replaced by senior outfielder Richie Schiekofer.
“Richie came off the bench when Mikey kind of tweaked his knee a little bit,” O’Sullivan said, “and had some really good at-bats tonight.”
Sproat and the Gators made quick work of Cincinnati in the top of the second. After a groundout, the junior righty struck out two batters to end a quick 1-2-3 inning.
Freshman Cade Kurland stepped to the plate in the bottom of the second inning. Facing a full count, the Tampa, Florida, product launched the ball deep over the left field fence and out of Condron Ballpark for a two-run homer to get Florida on the board.
“First time getting to run around the bases with the lights flickering,” Kurland said. “Definitely a moment I’ll remember for a long time.”
Florida’s ace on the mound dominated the Bearcats in the third inning. Sproat walked the first batter he faced but mowed down the next three batters to retire the side.
Sophomore first baseman Jac Caglianone made it two straight innings with homers. The 6-foot-5-inch two-way player crushed the ball deep outside the stadium over the right-field wall. It was Caglianone’s third-straight game with a homer.
The Gators continued to put pressure on Cincinnati starter sophomore Garrett Harker. Florida junior shortstop Josh Rivera lined a ball deep into right field off the wall, and he nearly raced all the way around the base path before stopping at third base.
Kurland came to the plate with a chance to add to the score, but he hit a weak infield fly to end the inning.
Sproat continued to dominate Cincinnati’s batters. He struck out the first two batters of the inning to make it five straight strikeouts for the junior righty. Sproat struck out his eighth batter of the night to retire the side after a single and a catcher interference put two men on base.
Caglianone returned to the batter’s box with the bases loaded. The Bearcats replaced Harker with junior southpaw Alex Shea, and he struck out Caglianone on three pitches.
Sophomore right fielder Ty Evans took his chance with the bases juiced, and he singled to score one runner.
Senior catcher BT Riopelle then had a chance to send in the runners; he walked to score another and give Florida a 6-0 lead. Rivera couldn’t keep the momentum going, though, as he grounded out to end the inning.
Cincinnati’s offense finally found a rhythm against Sproat in the fifth inning. The righty hit the first two batters he faced before Cross doubled into left field to send a pair of runners home and cut into the Gators’ lead.
Nicholson hit a laser off the scoreboard in right field for a solo home run to continue the offensive explosion.
O’Sullivan visited Sproat on the mound after the pitcher walked the next batter. The right-hander responded with a strikeout to end the inning. Sproat finished with a career-high nine strikeouts in five innings of work. He allowed three earned runs and four hits.
Langford faced Shea and worked into a 3-0 count with runners on second and third. The first-team All-American sent a high fly ball over third base, but freshman third baseman Kyle Schupmann and junior shortstop Kameron Guidry were unable to track the ball in the sky.
The ball fell harmlessly to the dirt, allowing two runners to score and Langford to reach second. The junior was credited with a double for two runs batted in. Caglianone tried to add to the scoring, but Shea struck him out again to end the inning.
Sophomore righty Ryan Slater replaced Sproat in the sixth inning. Slater started slowly; he walked the first two batters he faced before O’Sullivan visited him on the mound. The sophomore responded with a groundout and strike out on the next two at-bats.
Cincinnati continued to give Slater trouble. He walked a batter to load the bases then hit junior infielder JP Sponseller to score a run. A weak groundout ended the inning with just one run on the board for the Bearcats.
Freshman Brenden Garula relieved Shea in the sixth inning. Garula walked Evans on the first at-bat, and Riopelle singled into shallow center field. Rivera grounded into a double play, though, which sent Kurland up with two outs gone.
The freshman ripped a single down the middle to score Evans. Garula struck out UF junior designated hitter Tyler Shelnut to end the inning with just one run allowed.
O’Sullivan opted to keep Slater on the mound into the seventh inning. The righty forced a quick 1-2-3 inning, including his second strikeout of the night.
Evans kept Florida’s scoring going with an RBI single. Riopelle followed him up with a two-RBI single to give the Gators a 12-4 advantage. Cincinnati forced a groundout to end the inning.
The Bearcats scored a pair of runs in the top of the eighth inning to cut the lead to six. O’Sullivan replaced Slater with sophomore Tyler Nesbitt. Florida’s defense forced a fly out to center field to retire the side.
Kurland singled again, and Schiekofer hit a single into right field to send the freshman home.
Sophomore Blake Purnell replaced Nesbitt in the ninth inning to close out the game. Purnell forced Guidry into a quick groundout. The sophomore struck out Cincinnati freshman second baseman Griffin Hugus swinging to secure a win for the Gators.
“We should never be in that position,” O’Sullivan said about bringing in Purnell in the ninth.
Junior Hurston Waldrep will make his second start for Florida in game two against Cincinnati Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m., and the game will be streamed on SEC Network+.
Contact Topher Adams at tadams@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @Topher_Adams.
Topher Adams is a fourth-year communications major and in his fourth semester with the Alligator. He previously covered football, baseball and women's basketball. He also enjoys professional lacrosse and Major League Soccer.
