It was clear from the jump that it was Bobby Boser’s night on the diamond. Four pitches into the bottom of the 1st vs Stetson, Boser blasted a 423-foot home run off the batter’s eye in center field, sparking what would become a historic three homer night for the Gators senior third baseman.
Boser became the first Gator to launch three big flies in a game since Jac Caglianone did so vs Cincinnati on February 26th, 2023.
“I’d say that’s pretty elite company,” Boser said postgame. “He’s a baller. You’ve seen what he’s done, you see him in the pros. That’s a good name to be a part of.”
Head coach Kevin O’Sullivan recently moved Boser up to the leadoff spot in Florida’s batting order. To say that move has paid off is an understatement. The USF transfer is 8-14 (.571) at the plate with three home runs, five RBI, and two walks since moving to the leadoff spot on April 10th vs Missouri.
“I like it. It gets you in the mode, it gets you going. I like being the spark plug, I like starting things off and trying to get things going for our guys. I love the leadoff spot,” Boser said postgame.
Boser isn’t your traditional leadoff batter given his power and 30% strikeout rate. However, Boser has reached base 26 times via free pass this season and holds an on base percentage of .424, the 4th highest on the Gators. Boser is an aggressive hitter and makes you pay close attention from the first pitch of the game. He also has the speed and base running skills to be a problem, swiping 11 bags on 12 attempts this year.
“I think he’s got great makeup. I think he’s just tough as nails,” O’Sullivan said on Boser in the leadoff spot. “We’ve led off Wyatt [Langford] in the past too, and he wasn’t your traditional guy. Even though he’s got quite a bit of strikeouts, his on base percentage is pretty good. And that’s statistically, especially at the major league level, that’s the one stat they are looking at is on base percentage, and that’s how they’re adjusting their lineup, and he can run. He can run, he can steal some bases, and he does a lot of different things. He’s a dynamic player.”
The Wesley Chapel, Fla. native extended his on-base streak to 19-straight games and set a new career high in single-season RBI (42) vs Stetson.
Boser has power to all sides of the field, as shown by his 1,210 feet of home runs hit to left, right, and center field vs Stetson on Tuesday night. On the season, Boser holds a .327 batting average with 14 home runs, which leads the Gators and ranks T-4th in the SEC.
It wasn’t just Boser who had a great night at the plate. Florida also found home runs from Ashton Wilson and Blake Cyr in the contest. The Gators combined for 13 hits and five home runs in a 14-4 win after seven innings.
The Gators improved to 25-14 (4-11 SEC) on the season and are playing their best ball having won five games in a row. Florida is primed for a road SEC series vs Mississippi State this weekend, which is critical for their NCAA Tournament hopes.