GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 4 Florida scored its first eight runs via the long ball, as the Gators powered up to hit four home runs en route to an 11-1 victory over Missouri in the opening contest of a three-game Southeastern Conference series Friday evening at Condron Ballpark.
The Gators (33-10, 12-7 SEC) clubbed four home runs for the third time in 2023, including a pair of second-inning, three-run round-trippers by Tyler Shelnut and Jac Caglianone that staked UF to an early lead.
Florida starting pitcher Brandon Sproat (6-2) needed little help, as the right-hander dispatched the first nine Mizzou batters of the game. In all, he limited Mizzou (24-17, 5-14 SEC) to a season-low two hits while striking out seven in a complete-game effort.
The UF junior wouldn't allow a hit until a fourth-inning, leadoff double by Ross Lovich, who came around to score the lone Tiger run of the game on Luke Mann's sacrifice fly.
But Florida responded to the Tiger scoring rally with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, once again riding a power trip in expanding the margin. Michael Robertson started the fourth by belting the first homer of his Florida career, and BT Riopelle followed suit with a one-out solo shot in the fifth to make it an 8-1 game.
The Gators used a two-out rally to add another run in the sixth, then put the game on ice with a two-run surge in the seventh. Shelnut put the exclamation point on the night with an RBI single to secure the run-rule victory.
Shelnut led the Gators with a 2-for-4 performance and four RBIs, while Riopelle added two hits, an RBI and three runs scored. Caglianone, who hiked his NCAA Division I-leading home run total to 24, reached base in three of his four trips to the plate to help spur the UF offense.
TIGER NOTEBOOK
- Mizzou dropped to 5-29 all-time vs. Florida and 1-18 against the Gators in Gainesville
- Florida's four home runs matched a Mizzou opponent season high
- Dylan Leach saw his on-base streak of 14 consecutive games snapped with an 0-for-3 effort
- Hank Zeisler drew the lone Mizzou walk of the night, increasing his team-leading total to 35 on the season
UP NEXT
Due to inclement weather in the forecast, the Tigers and Gators will now play each of the final two games of the series at 11 a.m. (CDT) on Saturday (April 29) and Sunday (April 30). Due to the changes, Saturday's tilt will now stream on SEC Network+.
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