Gator baseball team struggles in series finale at Texas A&M, 3-2

COLLEGE STATION, TX. (WCJB) - The Florida baseball team fought valiantly at Texas A&M, but fall in the rubber match and lose the series, 3-2.

The Gators (37-12) sent “two-way” player Jac Caglianone to the hill. He pitches three shutout innings to keep it scoreless. In the top of the third inning, Tyler Shernut breaks through with a lead-off home run past the left-center field wall to take a 1-0 lead. It is Shelnut’s sixth jack of the season.

However, Caglianone’s luck runs out in the bottom of the fourth inning with bases loaded. The Aggies (28-20) take advantage as Kasen Wells walks home to tie it at 1. Caglianone finishes the day giving up one run off only three hits, three walks, and two strikeouts. He also receives a no decision.

Head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said about Caglianone’s performance, “He was better. The margin for error, we walked in a run with the bases loaded. Obviously there in the ninth, we hit the leadoff man. The margin for error to win in this league is very small. We did some things that when you look back, they just kind of hurt us. That’s the bottom line. We’ll get back at this thing next weekend against Vanderbilt and hopefully get back on a winning track.”

Florida jumps back in the lead in the top of the sixth inning with Wyatt Langford’s 12th home run of the year, 2-1. Though, Texas A&M returns the favor and ties it at 2 off Ryan Targac’s sacrifice fly.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Aggies put runners on the corners against Brandon Neely (1-1). As Neely is in his wind up, time is called and it results in a balk. Travis Chestnut scores and the Gators head back to Gainesville with a 15-9 SEC record.

O’Sullivan said, “The biggest takeaway from the weekend is I think we’ve solidified our bullpen. We just ran into a pitching staff, they certainly didn’t pitch like their (season) numbers this weekend. They were pretty good. Tough matchup. We saw a ton of lefties and it kind of minimized Jac a little bit this weekend and BT, other than Friday night. The bottom line is we just gotta get back to work.”

The optimistic Gator baseball team welcomes conference rival No. 5 Vanderbilt in a highly anticipated weekend series starting on Friday.

Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Copyright 2023 WCJB. All rights reserved.