Losing your first conference series of the season always stings, but three consecutive losses to No. 2 Tennessee last weekend knocked Florida five places in the NCAA rankings, down to No. 13.
Reeling from its struggles in Knoxville, Tennessee, and first series loss of the season, Florida (17-5, 0-3 SEC) returned home on a sunny Tuesday evening at the Condron Family Ballpark to face Jacksonville University (11-9, 2-1 ASUN).
The Dolphins entered Tuesday’s battle coming off of two straight wins over UNF. JU clinched its first conference of the series on Sunday, but knew it would take more to overcome the No. 13 team in the nation. However, Florida’s tough home environment and an offensive surge were too much for Jacksonville to handle in the Gators’ 16-4 victory on Tuesday.
Florida turned to freshman righty Jackson Barberi on the mound looking for a standout effort from the young gun, who got a quality nine outs. Barberi tossed three innings and tallied three strikeouts, tying his season-highs in each. Nevertheless, he was pulled to start the fourth after hitting the lead-off junior Blake Edmonds with a 2-0 pitch.
JU sophomore second baseman Jonah Shields started the game with a single down the right field line on the second pitch he saw. However, UF junior catcher Luke Heyman threw him out as he attempted to steal second.
Jacksonville had junior right-hander Aaron Zenus on the bump, who was met with turbulence in his second, and final, inning of work. Zenus walked junior second baseman Cade Kurland and sophomore designated hitter Landon Stripling singled to right, allowing senior right fielder Ty Evans to rip an RBI single up the middle. Evans’ basehit put the Gators in front 1-0. Eventually, junior left fielder Justin Nadeau grounded it back to Zenus with two outs and the bases loaded to end the inning.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Grant Brooks took over for Zenus in the third, but didn’t fare any better. Brooks gave up consecutive center field singles to junior shortstop Colby Shelton and Heyman before allowing a three-run blast to freshman first baseman Brendan Lawson on his first pitch.
Freshman right-handed pitcher Christian Rodriguez relieved Barberi in the fourth with one runner aboard. He then immediately gave up a home run to graduate right fielder Blake Delamielleure. The Dolphins cut into Florida’s lead 4-2, but Rodriguez battled back for three quick outs to limit the damage.
Florida exploded for three more runs in the bottom of the inning, spurred by a Nadeau lead-off ground-rule double to left field. Following Shelton’s two-out RBI single that scored Nadeau and gave Florida a 5-2 lead, Brooks looked shaky on the mound, hitting Heyman.
Jacksonville coach Chris Hayes stuck with the sophomore on the bump to face the Gator who launched a three-run home run off of him the inning prior, and Lawson made him pay. The freshman connected with a 3-2 pitch and ripped it into left center field for a bases-clearing double to extend Florida’s lead to 7-2. Donay came in to hit for Kurland in the third inning after the second baseman noted to the team’s trainer that something was wrong and exited the game. Donay recorded a hit in the third, but was struck out by JU graduate right-handed pitcher Caleb Freeman to end the fourth and leave Florida’s lead at five.
Florida got right back to work in the fifth inning, as Freeman hit both Evans and sophomore center fielder Hayden Yost to quickly put two runners aboard. This set the stage for a Nadeau home run to right field that gave Florida its largest lead in its last four games at 10-2.
UF junior reliever Janssens began to falter with two outs in the sixth, walking JU graduate catcher Carson Stevens and giving up an RBI double to senior first baseman Aidan Masters. Sophomore third baseman Cade Hentz followed with an RBI infield single that cut the score to 10-4 before Janssens put an end to the Dolphins two-out rally.
Freeman started the bottom of the sixth by walking two straight batters and giving up a three-run tater to Stripling. After walking yet another batter, Freeman gave way to freshman lefthander Kyle Powers.
Powers allowed a Yost single, Nadeau RBI fielder's choice and Shelton RBI single before Shields threw the ball away during an RBI fielder’s choice off the bat of Heyman. When the sixth inning came to an end, Florida dangled a 16-4 lead over a JU team struggling to find an arm that could top the Gators elite offense.
Janssens struck out pinch-hitting sophomore Trent Kelly on three pitches to light up the crowd, end the game and seal another run rule win for Florida.
Following Tuesday’s rout of the Dolphins, Florida will look to start a new winning streak on Wednesday when it hosts Florida A&M at 6:30 p.m. ET on Thursday.
Contact Curan Ahern at cahern@alligator.com and follow him on X at @CuranAhern
Curan is the men's tennis beat reporter and a second-year journalism sports & media major. He enjoys spending his free time with pets, at the beach and fishing.
