The No.7 Florida Gators improve to 4-0 after defeating USF 6-1 in the first of a two-game midweek set.
Freshman Cade Fisher made his first collegiate start against the Bulls after appearing once in the opening series against Charleston Southern.
Fisher was sharp on Tuesday night, throwing four innings and allowing no earned runs, four hits, zero walks, and one HBP across 64 pitches.
The Gators got behind on the scoreboard for the third time in four games after a Colby Halter throwing error led USF to score their only run of the game in the bottom of the first inning.
Fisher retired his first six batters via strikeout, setting the tone for the rest of the Florida’s staff.
Jac Caglianone tied the game on a solo shot in fourth inning, the first of four Gators’ homeruns in the contest. The 6-5, 245-pound first baseman saw the ball really well tonight, going 3-5 at the plate with a homerun and a double that missed clearing the fence by six inches.
Sophomore right hander Ryan Slater took over for Fisher and dominated for three innings, allowing no runs and one hit while striking out four batters.
Freshman Cade Kurland laced a two-out RBI single in the sixth inning to give the Gators their first lead of the night. Kurland would later crank his first collegiate homerun, extending Florida’s lead in the top of the ninth.
The Gators struck for four insurance runs in the ninth, including back-to-back solo homers by Tyler Shelnut and Cade Kurland. Wyatt Lanford’s opposite-field homerun later in the frame marked the third long ball of the inning for the Gators.
Florida’s closer Brandon Neely pitched the eighth and ninth frame for the Gators, allowing zero hits and one walk while striking out five Bulls in the process. Neely worked deep into the count with several batters but didn’t let it haunt him too much tonight.
The trio of Fisher, Slater, and Neely dominated the Bulls tonight, combining for zero earned runs on five hits, one walk, and 15 strikeouts.
Florida didn’t bring their best bats to the plate tonight, but the Gators totaled 11 hits and came up with four big flys when it mattered most.
The Gators and the Bulls meet tomorrow in Gainesville at 6:00 PM.