Friday Free-for-All: The Choice is Yours
Friday Free-for-All: The Choice is Yours
Today is Friday and that can mean only one thing, Free-for-All where the members decide where the topic of conversation goes.
Florida Falls in Second Round to No. 5 Texas A&M
The Gators face No. 13 Arkansas tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m. ET in a win-or-go home game in Hoover.
HOOVER, Ala. – Florida was defeated by No. 5 Texas A&M by a final score of 10-0 in seven innings in the second round of the 2022 SEC Tournament on Thursday afternoon.
The Gators (36-21, 15-15 SEC) and Aggies (36-17, 19-11 SEC) both went down quietly across the first two innings, before Texas A&M pushed ahead in the bottom of the third. Jordan Thompson reached on a leadoff walk, then came in to score on a two-run home run by Trevor Werner to give the Aggies a 2-0 lead.
Texas A&M extended its advantage to 3-0 in the fifth. Kole Kaler led off the frame with a double down the right-field line and later crossed home on an RBI single to left off the bat of Jack Moss. As a result, the Gators turned to right-handed reliever Fisher Jameson who induced a pair of fly outs to Jud Fabian in center field to navigate Florida away from further damage.
The Aggies plated seven more runs in the bottom of the sixth, as Ryan Targac, Jordan Thompson and Austin Bost all connected for home runs. That pushed the score to 10-0, forcing a tournament-shortened final tally as the contest ended at the conclusion of the top of the seventh inning.
Texas A&M starter Micah Dallas (5-3) earned the victory, pitching five shutout innings with one hit allowed, one walk and seven strikeouts. Joseph Menefee was credited with the save, tossing two scoreless innings with four strikeouts.
Florida starting pitcher Brandon Neely (3-2) received the loss, surrendering three earned runs on six hits and two walks across 4 1/3 frames. He struck out one.
Jac Caglianone (1-for-3) collected Florida's lone hit in the contest.
NOTABLES
* Florida is now 10-13 all-time vs. Texas A&M.
* The Gators are 9-7 vs. the Aggies under head coach Kevin O'Sullivan.
* Florida has won eight of the last 12 meetings.
* The Gators saw their three-game winning streak against the Aggies come to an end.
* Florida has won 11 of its last 14 games and 13 of its last 17.
* Wyatt Langford saw his 18-game on-base streak end.
FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O'SULLIVAN On the outcome of today's game…
"Credit A&M. They obviously played very well. Their starting pitcher did a real nice job, kept us off balance. But with that being said, we just didn't play very well in all phases. We didn't swing the bats very well. We had a poor approach. I think we struck out five of the first nine at-bats, and I think we struck out I think 11 times overall."
On whether today was a learning experience for the young pitchers…
"Well, honestly, we're at the latter part of the season. They're not freshmen anymore. They've had a lot of experience. We played a 30-game schedule in our league. We played on the road. We played three against Miami, three against Florida State. We played a really good schedule. At this point I wouldn't use that as an excuse. They're seasoned enough, they're talented enough. When you pitch behind in the count like we did today against a talented lineup, these things are going to happen. We've just got to pitch a little bit better, quite honestly."
On the impact of this week's weather delays…
"Both teams are presented with the same scenarios. You would think a day off yesterday would probably help us. But both teams had to go through the same thing about not playing last night and then not playing this morning, and get a call from Herb [Vincent] saying you guys got to be ready to go at 2:30, and we ended up starting at 2:45, but it's the same for both teams. I don't see that as an excuse at all in any way, shape or form."
UP NEXT
Florida will play No. 13 Arkansas tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m. ET in a win-or-go home game in Hoover. Right-handed pitcher Nick Pogue gets the start for the Gators while right-hander Connor Noland will toe the rubber for the Razorbacks. The matchup airs on SEC Network.
Catching up with Todd Golden
Gators Head to Blacksburg for Super Regional Series
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No.14-seed Florida softball program heads to the NCAA Blacksburg Super Regional for a best of three series against No.3-seed Virginia Tech at Tech Softball Park. This is UF's 14th super regional appearance since 2007, but will compete away from home in the event for only the second time.
The Gators (46-16) enter the super regional against the Hokies (45-8) after the team took care of business in the NCAA Gainesville Regional with wins over Canisius, Georgia Tech and Wisconsin.
Friday May 27th 2 PM ESPN
Saturday May 28th 12 PM ESPN
May 29th TBA (If Necessary)
· Thoughts on the New Top Gun? I have not had a chance to check it out yet.
· Anyone watching Star Trek on Paramount +?
· Loving the first two episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi
· Crime Does Not Pay for Matamba
Juan Castro, better known as Matamba, had escaped from La Picota maximum-security jail in the capital, Bogotá, in March. He has been "neutralised" in the city of Bolívar, in northern Colombia. This guy ran 20% of the cocaine shipments from Nariño province, in Colombia's south-west.
· Andy Fletcher, a founding member and keyboard player for Depeche Mode has died at the age of 60. RIP
· RIP Ray Liotta