GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Gators topped off an accomplishment-filled night with a dominant victory over the Jacksonville Dolphins, 12-1, on Tuesday at Condron Family Ballpark.
In a season marked by disappointment, the Gators are now 19-17. After the win, his 700th with the team, Gators coach Kevin O’Sullivan emphasized the importance of each and every game moving forward.
“We are literally at a point in our season where it’s pitch to pitch, inning to inning, game to game,” O’Sullivan said. “Every game is extremely important. We’ve got to treat each game the same and I thought we did that tonight.”
The Gators started the game strong, scoring three runs in the first inning on a single by Colby Shelton and a home run by Tyler Shelnut.
Florida scored again when Jac Caglianone launched a two-run bomb into right field, increasing the Gators’ lead to 6-0. The 516-foot homer marked Caglianone’s seventh straight game with a home run and his 21st of the season.
His teammate, Tyler Shelnut, was amazed by the long-distance homer.
“That was the furthest (homer) I think anybody here has ever seen,” he said. “I’ve never seen that before.”
Shelnut had a two-homer night himself, the first of his career. He reflected on his memorable night and how he thinks he has had offensive success this season.
“It’s definitely being able to go one at-bat to the next (and) not allow, whether it’s a good or a bad (at-bat), to carry into the next event,” he said.” I think that’s the big thing.”
Florida had a five-run fifth inning, topped off by Shelnut’s second homer. The homer put the Gators up for good at 12-1 over the Dolphins. The 10-run rule was applied, and the Gators won the game after seven innings.
The Gators look to continue the momentum at 7:30 p.m. ET Thursday when they travel to Nashville to take on the No. 13 Vanderbilt Commodores in a three-game series.
