While the 2025 campaign may still be relatively young, the Florida Gators have looked as good as can be through their first five games this season. Florida’s series opener against Dayton marked the former’s fourth consecutive game tallying double-digit runs – all while holding the opposing Flyers to just one.
It only took seven innings for the Gators to earn a 13-1 run-rule victory over Dayton on Friday night. Florida notched a combined six runs in the first two innings alone, immediately putting the game out of reach for the Flyers.
“It was not an easy night to hit or pitch,” UF head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “Last year, we had games like this, a lot of times, that got away from us… It was a good night for us.”
UF sophomore right-hander Liam Peterson came away with his second win of the year, tallying a line of two hits, two walks, no runs and five strikeouts in just four innings. Florida’s bullpen then gave up a combined six hits in the game’s final three innings, but only surrendered one run in that span.
In the batter’s box, eight Gators came away with at least one hit. Junior left fielder Blake Cyr led the way with a 2-for-3 clip at the plate with two RBIs and two runs scored. Junior second baseman Cade Kurland tallied a team-high three RBIs, while senior third baseman Bobby Boser and junior shortstop Colby Shelton scored three runs each.
While the temperature measured in at a chilly 48 degrees Fahrenheit at first pitch, Florida started off hot in the batter’s box. Sophomore right fielder Hayden Yost began UF’s evening with a laser into left-center field. Despite initially looking to stretch his knock into a triple, Yost settled in at second base for a stand-up double.
His decision to play it safe paid off, as Boser brought him home on the next at-bat. The UF senior sent the first pitch he saw barreling into right field and past the foul pole. Florida had seen a combined four pitches on the evening and already jumped out to a two-run lead.
Shelton kept Florida’s momentum in the frame rolling with a walk and a pair of stolen bases. He eventually scored on an RBI groundout by Kurland. The next inning, Cyr followed suit, landing on base via a hit-by-pitch before scoring on a Yost groundout.
Initially, Dayton looked to have stopped the bleeding after senior right-hander Chris Peguero struck Boser out swinging. However, as the pitch hit the dirt, Flyers sophomore catcher Ryan MacDougall couldn’t wrangle the ball in, allowing a speedy Boser to safely advance to first base.
From there, the miscues only continued to pile up for the Flyers. After Shelton was hit by a pitch in the subsequent at-bat, both he and Boser advanced into scoring position on a failed pick-off attempt. Peguero turned around looking to tag the latter out at second base, but nobody in the infield was around to field his throw.
Boser and Shelton went on to score with ease to cap another productive frame for Florida. The former scored on a wild pitch, which came in the same at-bat as the failed pick-off, while the latter crossed home plate on a Kurland RBI single into shallow right field. Shelton’s run extended UF’s lead to 6-0 after just two innings of play.
Meanwhile, Peterson kept things under control in the early going of Friday’s game. The sophomore right-hander didn’t allow a runner to reach scoring position until the fourth inning. Dayton managed to load the bases in the top of the frame, but Peterson kept his cool, sitting down his final batter of the night on strikes to keep the Flyers off the board.
In the bottom of the fourth, freshman first baseman Brendan Lawson tacked on another UF run via an RBI single into the heart of center field. While Florida’s offense went relatively cold as the night went on, its newfound seven-run cushion proved to be more than enough to guide it to the finish line.
Dayton could not crack the scoreboard until the sixth inning, when freshman second baseman Ty Mainolfi hit an RBI single into shallow center field. The Flyers subsequently tried to pull off a double-steal with Mainolfi and senior first baseman Mason Dobie, but the latter was tagged out in a close call at home plate to retire the side.
Just like clockwork, the Gators responded with another explosive frame at the plate in the bottom of the sixth. Following a Shelton double into right field and a pair of walks (the latter of which came on a hit by pitch), Florida managed to load the bases with no outs on the board.
Kurland kickstarted the scoring for Florida with an RBI walk to put his squad up 8-1. Lawson followed suit by taking a pitch to the back, driving in another run for the Gators. Following a sacrifice fly on the ensuing at-bat by junior catcher Luke Heyman, Florida was just one run away from entering mercy rule territory.
With runners on first and second and one out on the board, Cyr delivered what would ultimately be the dagger in this ballgame. The junior outfielder sent the first pitch he saw deep into left-center, bringing in another pair of Gator runs. He would later cross home plate on a sacrifice fly by Yost, ultimately bringing Florida’s lead up to 13-1.
Entering the top of the seventh with the sun having set long ago, the Gators needed just three outs to clinch an early exit. As the temperatures continued to plummet, the entire Florida dugout had one clear goal in mind: to wrap this game up and get back home.
“I feel like everybody was on the same page there,” Boser said. “Score as many runs, get out of there as fast as possible.”
This vision quickly became a reality, thanks in part to a strong showing from redshirt freshman Christian Rodriguez in the top of the seventh. In his UF debut, Rodriguez only allowed a single hit and retired the side in 18 pitches, clinching the run-rule win to move Florida to 5-0 on the year.
The Gators and Flyers will return to Condron Ballpark for game two of their weekend series on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
Contact Jack Meyer at jmeyer@alligator.org. Follow him on X @jackmeyerUF.
Jack Meyer is a fourth-year journalism major and the Sports Editor for The Alligator. In his free time, he enjoys reviewing music, spending time with friends, playing video games and going to the gym.
