Following a commanding 16-4 win on Tuesday, the Gators entered their game against FAMU determined to maintain momentum and bounce back from last weekend's devastating sweep. Just like it did the day before, Florida didn’t need all nine innings to get the job done.
The No. 13 Florida Gators (18-5, 0-3 SEC) dismantled the Florida A&M Rattlers (9-10) in seven innings 14-4 for their second consecutive mercy-rule victory. With the win, UF improved its all-time record against the Rattlers to 32-1.
The Gators initially struggled to find their rhythm on the mound. Despite jumping to an early 3-0 lead, the game quickly evened out. Sophomore righty Matthew Jenkins had yet another rough outing, surrendering three runs on four hits. Jenkins was pulled after just 1 1/3 innings, and Florida found a spark in redshirt freshman Caden McDonald.
McDonald issued a bases-loaded walk to the first batter he faced, but was nearly flawless from that point forward. The Tampa native struck out a season-high seven batters, helping Florida jump back into the game.
FAMU couldn’t replicate Florida’s success, as its pitchers had continued trouble finding the strike zone. Plate discipline was vital for the Gators, who scored five runs in the third after Rattlers freshman pitcher Ryan Young loaded the bases on three straight walks. Ultimately, the first eight of Florida’s 14 runs came from just two hits.
One of those hits was a shot down the right field line by junior infielder Colby Shelton, who kept his on-base streak in every game this season intact. He ultimately wrapped up the night with three hits and two RBIs, pushing his batting average over .400 for the first time since the Gators’ midweek match-up against Stetson on Feb. 25. As the game progressed, Florida’s bats started to heat up, and no one was hotter than junior left fielder Blake Cyr. Though he sat out Tuesday’s game due to food poisoning, Cyr showed no signs of fatigue against the Rattlers.
The junior drove in six runs on the night, including two in the sixth inning on a moonshot that FAMU’s outfielders watched helplessly as it sailed over the fence. It marked his fourth homer of the season and his second in three games.
The junior then sealed the game in the seventh, lining one to center field to bring in two runs and clinch Florida’s 14-4 victory.
Wednesday marked the first time the Gators have scored 14 or more runs in consecutive games since March 2023, and it comes at just the perfect moment. Florida desperately needed strong victories after its middling performance against Tennessee, which resulted in a sweep.
The Gators will now turn their attention to the weekend, as they face No. 4 Georgia (21-2) in their second SEC series of the season and the first hosted in Gainesville. Game 1 of the three-game slate is scheduled for Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Contact Daniela Ortiz at dortiz@alligator.org. Follow her on X @danielaortizUF.
Daniela Ortiz is a sophomore sports journalism major covering the UF club hockey team for Spring 2025. This is her first semester at the sports desk for The Alligator. When she's not watching sports, she likes to draw and read.
