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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Neely delivers to take first game against Aggies

Brandon Neely secures 10th save in win

Florida catcher BT Riopelle swings his bat during the Gators' 2-1 win against the Georgia Bulldogs Saturday, April 15, 2023.
Florida catcher BT Riopelle swings his bat during the Gators' 2-1 win against the Georgia Bulldogs Saturday, April 15, 2023.

Florida sophomore closer Brandon Neely came to the mound looking to close out a series-opening victory. Nursing a one-run lead, he struck out the first batter but walked the second.

After a fly out, Neely put Texas A&M on its final out of the night. He worked infielder Trevor Werner into a full count, and the Gators ace reliever walked Werner. However, Neely battled back to force a line out to shortstop and secure the save.

The No. 4 Florida Gators (37-10, 15-7 SEC) defeated the Texas A&M Aggies (26-20, 9-13 SEC) Friday night in College Station, Texas. Senior catcher BT Riopelle led the way for UF with a pair of home runs, and Neely picked up his 10th save of the season.

Florida attacked in the second inning. Junior shortstop Josh Rivera ripped a leadoff double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. He would’ve scored from anywhere, because Riopelle crushed the ball over the right field wall for a two-run homer.

The Gators added another run in the third. Freshman second baseman and junior outfielder Wyatt Langford singled to put runners on the corners for sophomore first baseman Jac Caglianone.

The star slugger hit into a groundout, but it was enough to score Kurland from third.

Junior right-hander Brandon Sproat continued  strong start in the bottom of the frame. He struck out the first two batters and forced a weak fly out to right field to end a 1-2-3 inning.

Junior right fielder Tyler Shelnut nearly opened up the game with a well hit ball to left field and a pair of runners aboard. Aggies left fielder Jace LaViolette dove to steal a hit from Shelnut and limit the damage to a sacrifice fly.

LaViolette continued to come up clutch, this time at the plate. The freshman outfielder smoked a pitch out of the ballpark for a leadoff home run. Sproat recovered from the long ball and retired the next three batters with Florida leading 4-1.

Texas A&M put Sproat under fire in the bottom of the fifth. The Aggies hit back-to-back one-out singles to put a pair of runners on base. Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan visited Sproat on the mound to try and ease the starter through the jam.

The visit did little to settle down the right-hander. Werner turned on a pitch and launched it over the left field wall for a game-tying three-run homer.

The Gators would retake their lead just a few pitches into the sixth inning. Riopelle mashed another ball over the right-field fence to give Florida a 5-4 lead.

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Sproat worked himself into trouble in the bottom of the inning. Junior utility player Ryan Targac singled and outfielder Jordan Thompson walked to put a pair of runners on with just one out. O’Sullivan went to his bullpen and replaced Sproat with freshman lefty Cade Fisher.

Florida’s starter worked 5.1 innings. Sproat allowed four earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts.

Fisher forced a grounder to Rivera at shortstop, but the usually sure-handed junior misplayed the ball and allowed the tying run to score and all runners to reach safely. The freshman forced an out when a ground ball hit an Aggies baserunner.

O’Sullivan pulled Fisher with two outs for redshirt sophomore right-hander Ryan Slater. The reliever took care of business with a groundout to get out of the inning. 

Kurland restored the Gators lead early in the seventh. The freshman second baseman smashed his 14th homer of the year to give Florida a 6-5 lead. Langford looked to continue the rally with a big double to left field, but the Gators failed to add additional runs.

Slater struggled early in the bottom of the seventh. He walked the first batter before battling back to strike out Werner looking. O’Sullivan turned to his bullpen again to close the inning, and sophomore southpaw Philip Abner took the mound needing two outs.

The lefty reliever took care of business with a pair of outs to strand the runner on first and post a zero in the seventh. Florida’s offense failed to add any insurance in the eighth and went down 1-2-3.

Abner didn’t need any insurance. The Gators’ reliever retired the Aggies in order — including a pair of strikeouts — to hold Florida’s lead into the final inning of action. The Gators once again failed to add insurance and turned to Neely to close out the game.

UF’s closer got into some trouble, but he took care of business to close out the game and give Florida the first game of the weekend series.

The Gators will look to clinch/even the series Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on SEC Network.

Contact Topher Adams at tadams@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @Topher_Adams.


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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.


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