Florida Gators Baseball Wins in 1st Round Matchup of SEC Tournament

Florida Baseball Wins in 1st Round Matchup of SEC Tournament

The Florida Gators received the #7 seed and opened up SEC tournament play against the #10-seed South Carolina Gamecocks. The Gators finished regular-season conference play with a record of 15-15 and were 35-20 overall on the year.

Florida was able to walk it off in extras with a final score of 2-1. The Gators jumped on the scoreboard first with a run scoring off of a single by Jac Caglianone to South Carolina’s shortstop Michael Braswell. The run came across off of a throwing error by Braswell and was an unearned run.

Brandon Sproat started on the mound for the Gators and pitched masterfully. Sproat was able to go 8.1 innings, giving up four hits, one walk, and giving up one earned run. Sproat also tallied seven strikeouts and had a no-hitter going until a single by Josiah Sightler with one out in the seventh.

Wyatt Langford made a stellar throw in the top of the seventh to help keep the Gamecocks on the board. On a groundball to left, he was able to field the ball and throw out the tying run at the plate.

Sproat’s only run he gave up came in the top of the ninth off of a fielder’s choice by Ander Eyster that allowed Braylen Wimmer to score. Sproat was then relieved by Ryan Slater, who pitched 1.2 innings giving up no hits, no walks, and striking out one.

The bottom of the 10th started with Jac Caglianone grounding out to first, and from there, it would get exciting. Ty Evans would be up next and hit a ground ball to third that seemed routine until it bounced off the third-base bag and went over the Gamecock third baseman leading to an Evans double.

Next up would be Kendrick Calilao, who would single on a ground ball up the middle. While Evans was held at third in a conservative play, he watched the throw in from South Carolina’s center fielder Evan Stone fly over the catcher Talmadge LeCroy and be tracked down by the South Carolina pitcher Cade Austin. Calilao was able to advance to second on the throw.

Colby Halter would then walk up to the plate, knowing that he could be the one to end the game with anything to the outfield. Halter was able to sit back on a changeup and send it up the middle for a line out to Evan Stone. Evans was tagging up and looked like he had been thrown out at home in plenty of time. South Carolina players couldn’t believe it when the home plate ump signaled safe. The play was reviewed, and Talmadge LeCroy had dropped the ball when he applied the tag to Evans, sealing a Gator victory.

The Gators were able to win a thriller and could carry the momentum into a tough matchup in the second round. Florida will take on the #2-seed Texas A&M on Wednesday at 5:30 ET.