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Florida Baseball: BT Riopelle doesn’t want a day job yet

By Benjamin Henderson

Florida batter BT Riopelle reacts after he hit a three-run walk-off homer during the second round of the SEC Baseball Tournament at the Hoover Met Wednesday, May 24, 2023. Florida scored four runs in the bottom of the 11th to win the game 7-6.
Florida batter BT Riopelle reacts after he hit a three-run walk-off homer during the second round of the SEC Baseball Tournament at the Hoover Met Wednesday, May 24, 2023. Florida scored four runs in the bottom of the 11th to win the game 7-6. /
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It’s not a secret that when the season ends for Florida baseball, real life begins for Florida Gators catcher BT Riopelle. The senior plans to enter the financial sector as a career and doesn’t plan to pursue professional baseball.

But as long as Florida keeps playing, Riopelle doesn’t have to sit behind a desk. And Mr. BT made it clear on Friday that he wasn’t ready to sit behind a desk just yet,

Florida Baseball: BT stands for Big Time

Half an inning into the game for Florida baseball, things didn’t look good for the Gators to flip the script after being swept by the South Carolina Gamecocks back in April. After a homerun, followed by a mini-rally that resulted in another run, South Carolina was up 2-0 before Florida got to bat.

Josh Rivera promptly tied it back at 2-2 after a two-run home run.

The Gamecocks promptly took the lead back and had the bases loaded after Kevin O’Sullivan opted to load them with an intentional walk.

His gamble paid off as South Carolina grounded back to Brandon Sproat for the double play.

But the score remained at 3-2 in favor of the bad guys before Tyler Shelnut hit a game-tying home run in the fifth inning to make it 3-3.

The bottom of the sixth rolled around with the score tied when Riopelle stepped up after Jac Caglianopne and Josh Rivera struck out. No sweat for Riopelle, who, in case you hadn’t heard, is joining the financial sector once the season ends for Florida.

BT launched a home run to center field to put Florida up 4-3.

It looked like that was going to be the winning run as Cade Fisher shut down the South Carolina offense for two innings.

Tyler Shelnut added an insurance run to make it 5-3 before the Gamecocks got one in the ninth to make it 5-4.

But the Gamecocks didn’t threaten after that, and Florida baseball emerged one win away from advancing to the Men’s College World Series.

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