The 2024 season hasn’t unfolded how many Florida baseball fans anticipated it to.
Fresh off a College World Series run that saw the Gators finish one game shy of the championship title, the differentiating quality in play has been apparent at times this season.
Florida’s bullpen has struggled immensely in games. Its offense has experienced several droughts. Even the starters have struggled as well.
“I don't want to make changes just to make changes," UF head coach Kevin O'Sullivan said of his starting rotation. "These are the guys we have, they've had success in the past... Bottom line is we just have to figure it out."
There was a feeling that Florida’s opening SEC weekend against No. 4 Texas A&M, who was undefeated heading into the series, would hold significant weight for the rest-of-season outlook. Was this year’s ballclub just as capable as its previous 2023 squad, who finished one game shy of the College World Series title?
Florida proved its capabilities in a series-clinching game March 17.
Gators senior third baseman Tyler Shelnut hit a go-ahead home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to seal a 4-2 victory and clinch the series behind a stellar outing from left-handed starter Jac Caglianone.
“We know how good we are, we know what we’re capable of,” Shelnut said. “It’s just finding that rhythm, getting in a groove and starting to play better baseball as a whole.”
The biggest concern for Florida’s roster has been its bullpen and its reliance on freshman arms. There are less than a handful of veterans head coach O’Sullivan trusts, and few young arms have given him reason for trust due to their inexperience.
The concerns among freshman relievers were something assistant coach David Kopp said isn’t uncommon regardless of the collection of players.
“With freshmen, the biggest hurdle for them is learning how to deal with failure,” said Kopp before the season. “So once they figure out how to deal with failure and regroup and move forward — those are the guys that will merge and really help us when it matters.”
Florida opened its series with an 8-6 victory March 15 in a game where O’Sullivan avoided using any of his young arms. All-SEC closer Brandon Neely pitched three scoreless innings in relief and secured the series-opening victory.
Neely’s high pitch count positioned Florida to have to use more of its bullpen barring a quality outing from its freshman starter Liam Peterson.
Peterson lasted just 35 pitches, and O’Sullivan used six different arms in his bullpen.
Despite losing the game 10-6, it was the most impressive performance from Florida’s relievers to date.
Freshmen relievers Grayson Smith and Robert Satin pitched 4.2 innings combined and surrendered no runs and worked out of several high-pressure situations.
Heading into the weekend, Florida’s freshman relievers boasted a 6.60 ERA. The positive performance was encouraging for O’Sullivan.
“We’re really close,” O’Sullivan said. “We’re really close to being the team that I think we can be. It’s just that we’re going through some growing pains with the young arms.”
The series was put on the line when Neely felt discomfort in his bicep and was unable to return for the ninth inning in Florida’s rubber match against the Aggies.
Rather than having his All-SEC closer in his arsenal, O’Sullivan instead elected to go to freshman right-hander Luke McNeillie.
Before the ninth inning, McNeillie had been the arm with the least amount of success in Florida’s bullpen. He was extremely successful in the Fall and surrendered zero runs throughout the preseason.
However, heading into the March 17 game, McNeillie held a 17.20 ERA on the mound in 8.1 innings pitched.
All speculation was put to rest when the freshman retired the top of the Aggies order, arguably one of the most lethal lineups in the nation, and secured the series victory. McNeillie pumped his fists and was mobbed by his teammates as they ran out of the dugout and onto the field.
“Coming off a few bumpy starts, he did exactly what we wanted him to do,” Caglianone said. “Everybody knew that Luke has the stuff to get guys out, and he really showed it today. So, I’m really proud of him.”
Coach O’Sullivan expects McNeillie’s outing will be a confidence booster going forward.
“The way I felt about the situation, honestly, is if he can get through this thing, this might end up being a really good story,” O’Sullivan said. “And hopefully pushes this progress along with him. It was huge.”
Florida continues its season with a weekend matchup against Jacksonville at 6:30 p.m. March 19. After that, the Gators will face the defending National Champions, the Louisiana State Tigers, over the weekend March 22.
Contact Luke Adragna at ladragna@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @lukeadrag.
Luke Adragna is a third-year journalism student and the Florida Gators football reporter at The Alligator. He is a cat ethusiast and completes the NYT Daily Mini in less than a minute each day.
