Florida baseball staves off College World Series elimination as Gators top NC State, 5-4

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Image Credit: UAA

After dropping a heartbreaker to open play in the 2024 College World Series, it was win-or-go-home for Florida Gators baseball on Monday afternoon. The Gators decided it was not yet time to return to Gainesville, Florida, sliding past the NC State Wolfpack at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska.

A solo home run by senior left fielder Tyler Shelnut in the top of the fifth ultimately served as Florida’s game-winning run, but a history-making blast by junior left-handed pitcher Jac Caglianone in the second and a tremendous relief performance from junior RHP Brandon Neely were just as critical in the Gators’ victory.

Caglianone (1.0 IP, H, ER, 2 BB, K) started on the mound but clearly did not have his best stuff getting pulled by head coach Kevin O’Sullivan after loading the bases in his only inning. The next frame, after Florida had already loaded the bases itself and seen sophomore second baseman Cade Kurland (0/4, RBI) hit a sacrifice fly, Caglianone (1/3, HR, 3 RBI, R, 2 BB, K) atoned for his lack of discipline on the mound with a three-run homer.

The dinger gave Caglianone the Gators’ single-season home run record with 34 on the campaign (one season after blasting 33) and tied him with Matt LaPorta for most in a career wearing the orange & blue (74).

Sophomore LHP Cade Fisher (4.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, BB, 3 K) did his best in long relief for Caglianone but allowed the Wolfpack to get back into the game with a two-run shot of their own.

Sullivan then went back to Neely, whose continued his outstanding postseason striking out six of 11 batters he faced across the final three innings. Neely (3.0 IP, H, BB, 6 K, WP) only faced trouble in the eighth where happenstance led a man to third, but he fanned consecutive batters to escape the inning unscathed and maintain UF’s lead.

Florida found itself in an elimination game Monday after falling 3-2 to the Texas A&M Aggies in Saturday’s opener. First pitch was delayed more than three hours due to weather with the game starting after 11 p.m. ET. The Gators had a chance to win the game only to see a two-run homer robbed in the top of the ninth, sending them into the lower part of the bracket.

UF is now 4-0 in elimination games this postseason, and it will now need to win three more in order to advance to the CWS Championship Series for the second straight year. Florida will next face either Kentucky or Texas A&M on Tuesday at 6 p.m. The Gators are 1-2 agains the Wildcats and 2-2 against the Aggies this season.