No.4 Florida defeated Columbia 15-6 behind a ten run first inning on Friday night inside Condron Ballpark. The Gators improved to 3-1 on the 2024 season and 6-0 all time against Columbia.
Monstrous first inning
Florida sent 14 batters to the plate in the bottom of the 1st inning, resulting in ten runs to start the game for the Gators. Florida’s 10 runs in the first inning marked the team’s most since scoring 10 in the fifth vs. FGCU on March 5, 2019.
After the first two batters reached base, Colby Shelton singled to center field to kick start the early scoring parade. The next nine Gators’ batters reached base following Shelton’s RBI single, including a two RBI triple from Ty Evans and a two-run home run off the bat of Brody Donay.
Four Gators drove in multiple runs in the first inning: Heyman, Shelton, Evans and Donay. Florida also hit for the cycle in the frame. The Gators scored ten runs on seven hits, three free passes, and one error while leaving just one runner on base.
Columbia starting pitcher Joe Sheets (0-1) was stuck with the loss after allowing nine runs (eight earned) in one-third of an inning. He surrendered five hits and one walk.
Cade Fisher bounces back
Florida’s Friday night starter Cade Fisher struggled a week ago against St. John’s, allowing five runs and six hits in just two innings pitched on opening day.
Fisher’s start against Columbia was much closer to what Gator Nation was expecting from the left hander in 2024, tossing five innings while allowing two runs on five hits versus the Lions. Fisher struck out a career high 10 batters while not recording a single walk or hit by pitch.
“I thought Cade’s start was obviously a lot different than last start, still fell behind a little bit in some of his pitch counts,” Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan said on Fisher’s start. “He ended up with 86 pitches over five. Overall, I thought it was a really good start. Ten strikeouts, no walks. We didn’t walk anybody as a staff. We jumped out to a ten-run lead after the first, which doesn’t happen very often. Cade had to run back down there to the bullpen because it was such a long inning.”
Fisher (1-1) earned his first win of the 2024 campaign.
Runners stranded
The Gators went through a little bit of a rough stretch offensively after a red-hot start to the contest as Columbia scored six unanswered runs, cutting the deficit to four in the top of the 7th inning.
Florida struggled to capitalized with runners on base during the middle innings of the game, leaving 15 runners on base in eight trips to the plate, 12 of which were after six innings of play.
Columbia gave the Gators 15 free passes on Friday night, which means the Gators were hitting with runners on base for the majority of the game. Unfortunately, Florida struggled to take advantage outside of two innings, leaving the bases loaded in the 3rd and 5th inning.
Strong 8th
Florida found the scoreboard for the first time since the first inning in the bottom of the 7th after Tyler Shelnut’s solo home run to left field. But the real stamp on the game came in the 8th inning when the Gators struck for four runs, essentially putting the game out of reach.
Armando Albert, who replaced the injured Cade Kurland early in the game, delivered a clutch RBI single up the middle to extend Florida’s lead to six. Later in the inning, Luke Heyman blasted a two-run home run off the batters eye in center field. Tyler Shelnut polished off the 15-run effort with an RBI single to right field.
Middle relief
Florida’s middle relivers struggled once again as RHP’s Fisher Jameson and Blake Purnell allowed a combined four earned runs following Cade Fisher’s exit.
Middle relief is a question mark on this year’s Florida team. The Gators will need a few more bullpen arms to step up on the weekend, helping to bridge the gap from the starter to Florida’s star closer in Brandon Neely.
RHP Ryan Slater is a solid piece for O’Sullivan’s squad, who struck out for batters in 1.2 innings pitched against Columbia. Slater only threw 24 pitches, so he will be available Saturday’s game two if needed.
“Slater, he threw 24 pitches, so he’ll be able to go tomorrow,” O’Sullivan said postgame. “But in game like this, when you have an opportunity not to use Slater you got to take advantage of it, to set up the next game or two.”
NOTABLES
- Friday night’s official attendance was 6,000.
- Florida’s 10 runs in the first inning marked the team’s most since scoring 10 in the fifth vs. FGCU on March 5, 2019.
- Four Gators drove in multiple runs in the first inning: Heyman, Shelton, Evans and Donay.
- Florida hit for the cycle in the frame.
- The Gators scored 15-plus runs on 15-plus hits for the first time since Game 2 of the 2023 College World Series Finals.
- Fisher struck out a career-high 10 batters in Friday’s start.
- Fisher is the first Gator to strike out at least 10 batters in a game since Hurston Waldrep struck out 12 vs. Oral Roberts in the College World Series on June 18, 2023.
- Donay launched a two-run homer to center field for his first hit in Orange & Blue.
- Albert made his Gators debut, finishing 2-for-3 with one walk and one RBI.
- Dating back to last season, Florida is 25-4 in regular season non-conference games and has won 16 of its last 17 such contests.
- The Gators are 24-5 in home series since 2023.
- Florida is 32-11 in weekend series since 2023 and 41-14 across the team’s previous 19 series.
- Florida improved to 6-0 all-time against Columbia, all of which have been played in Gainesville.
- The Gators rise to 5-0 vs. the Lions under head coach Kevin O’Sullivan.