Colby Shelton didn’t hesitate.
On the first pitch of his at bat in the bottom of the 10th inning, Shelton took a backdoor slider to the opposite field.
The sophomore shortstop didn’t run, he just stared as the ball barely creeped inside the left field foul pole for a three-run home run. His helmet was already off before he reached first base, and he carried it around the whole way before launching it in the air prior to meeting his teammates at home plate.
“There’s nothing cooler than it,” Shelton said on the walk-off. “Walk-off in front of the whole stadium. Get a win for this team. It;s hard to describe, but the feelings ecstatic.
Down 11-9, the long ball propelled the Gators to a 12-9, 10-inning win in Game 1 of a three-game series with the St. Mary’s Gaels. The team earned its first extra-inning win of the season.
It was Shelton’s second home run of the game, and team-leading eighth of the year. Shelton’s first homer came in the bottom of the fourth, crushing a ball over the right-center field wall.
After hitting 25 home runs with Alabama during his freshman year, Shelton’s power has transferred over to the Gators in the most important ways.
“He’s a hard-nosed player,” head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “To come up in that spot, and go the other way, and sit on a slider, and be committed to it and actually do it, not everybody can do that and rise to the occasion like that. We’re fortunate to have him.”
However, the Gators were fortunate to come out with a win.
Up 9-6 in the top of the ninth, Gators junior closer Brandon Neely surrendered three runs, allowing the Gaels to push the game into extra innings.
Then, in the 10th, a two-run home run from Christian Almanza put St. Mary’s in front 11-9. Neely gave it up.
Florida’s bullpen struggles continued Friday after losing a midweek game to the University of Central Florida 9-6 Wednesday.
The senior closer, one of Florida’s most reliable bullpen pitchers, had just given up three or more earned runs once last season.
On Friday, he surrendered five earned runs on four hits and walked three. It was a rare, poor performance from a usual dominant closer.
“It was just one of those nights for him,” O’Sullivan said. “We’ve seen him pitch, obviously, exceptionally well. I’m lost for words right now on how we miscalculated up to this point on who should be starting and who’s the middle guys to bridge the gap to Neely, but we haven’t been able to use Brandon.”
Sophomore left-hander Cade Fisher took the mound for his fourth Friday night start of the season. After a mediocre beginning of the year for Fisher, who came in with 7.71 ERA and 10 earned runs given up, his struggles continued early.
Fisher surrendered two runs in the opening inning, two in the top of the second and one in the fourth en route to a five inning performance. He struck out eight, throwing a career-high 102 pitches in the win.
For the second time this season, Fisher gave up four earned runs. In 2023, Fisher gave up four earned only once. And although he’s limited the walks this season, with only four in 16 2/3, opposing hitters have found the barrel on his pitches.
“I was lucky to get to five innings I feel like,” Fisher said. “I gave up seven hits. Just doesn’t get the job done and I got to be able to put people away and hit my spots a little better.”
Although the Florida pitching continued its issues, the Gators offense excelled. For the ninth time this season, the Gators scored seven or more runs. And in Game 1, they recorded double-digit runs for the fifth time this season.
Six different Gators recorded two hits each, as Shelton led the team going 3-for-5 with five RBI. Junior right fielder Ty Evans finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and designated hitter Brody Donay also had a 2-for-4 night with two RBI.
“This offense is doing a lot of damage,” Shelton said. “We’re never out of the game. We have one of the best lineups in the country.”
Junior first baseman Jac Caglianone went 2-for-5 at the dish Friday, hitting two hard singles. The two-way player is now hitting .473 and extended his hit streak to 13 games, recording a base hit in every one of UF’s games.
Game 2 of the series is at 1 p.m. Saturday. Freshman right-hander Liam Peterson gets the start on the mound for the Gators, and he’ll look to rebound after giving up five runs against Miami March 2. He'll look to improve on the ugly start to the season for the Gators pitching staff. The game will be broadcast on ESPN Network Plus.
“We’re going to have to figure this thing out for sure,” O’Sullivan said. “We will. We’ve got no choice. You know, this is why we coach. It’s not always going to be perfect, and it's certainly not perfect right now. It’s our responsibility, my responsibility to figure this thing out.”
Contact Bennett Solomon at bsolomon@alligator.org. Follow him on X @B_Soly11.
