Saturday, March 9
Gainesville, FL
10:00 am
Saint Mary's College of California
9-5
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7
Florida
9-5
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9
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Saint Mary's
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Florida
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Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
BASE | Saint Mary's Beats No. 4 Florida 9-7 for Program's First Win Over a Top-5 Team
3/9/2024 7:56:00 PM | Baseball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Saint Mary's Baseball upset No. 4 Florida with a 9-7 win in a back-and-forth game two of the series on Saturday. It's the highest-ranked opponent the Gaels have ever defeated, topping their wins over No. 9 Oregon State in 2007, and over No. 9 Cal State Fullerton in Head Coach Eric Valenzuela's first season at Saint Mary's in 2014.
Florida scored early on an RBI single in the first inning bringing in an unearned run that reached on an error. They added three more on a three-run home run in the second inning to make it a 4-0 Gator lead. Dylan Delvecchio opened with two innings pitched, allowing three earned runs on four hits with three walks and one strikeout.
The Gaels offense got things going in the fourth inning when Nathan Chong and Brian Duroff hit back-to-back solo home runs. Chong kept it going in the fifth with an infield single, but a throwing error would clear the bases and score three making it a 5-4 lead in favor of the Gaels. Jared Mettam extended the lead, beating out a double play ground ball and reaching on a fielder's choice that would score Chong making it a 6-4 lead.
Florida reclaimed the lead with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth and a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth making it 7-6 advantage for the Gators.
The Gaels delivered a couple home runs of their own to reclaim the lead once again with a Coleman Schmidt solo home run and a Duroff two-run go-ahead home run making it a 9-7 ballgame with Saint Mary's in front in the seventh.
That was all the offense the Gaels would need. In relief, Connor Linchey picked up the win and kept the Florida offense contained throughout his outing. He would be the only reliever SMC would need as he would go seven innings, allowing three runs on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Schmidt finished 2 for 5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Chong was 2 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs scored, and Duroff went 3 for 5 with three RBIs and two runs scored.
UP NEXT
Saint Mary's Baseball plays game three on Sunday at 10:00 am.
#GaelsRise
Florida scored early on an RBI single in the first inning bringing in an unearned run that reached on an error. They added three more on a three-run home run in the second inning to make it a 4-0 Gator lead. Dylan Delvecchio opened with two innings pitched, allowing three earned runs on four hits with three walks and one strikeout.
The Gaels offense got things going in the fourth inning when Nathan Chong and Brian Duroff hit back-to-back solo home runs. Chong kept it going in the fifth with an infield single, but a throwing error would clear the bases and score three making it a 5-4 lead in favor of the Gaels. Jared Mettam extended the lead, beating out a double play ground ball and reaching on a fielder's choice that would score Chong making it a 6-4 lead.
Florida reclaimed the lead with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth and a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth making it 7-6 advantage for the Gators.
The Gaels delivered a couple home runs of their own to reclaim the lead once again with a Coleman Schmidt solo home run and a Duroff two-run go-ahead home run making it a 9-7 ballgame with Saint Mary's in front in the seventh.
That was all the offense the Gaels would need. In relief, Connor Linchey picked up the win and kept the Florida offense contained throughout his outing. He would be the only reliever SMC would need as he would go seven innings, allowing three runs on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Schmidt finished 2 for 5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Chong was 2 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs scored, and Duroff went 3 for 5 with three RBIs and two runs scored.
UP NEXT
Saint Mary's Baseball plays game three on Sunday at 10:00 am.
#GaelsRise
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Linchey, Connor (1-2)
L: Luke McNeillie (1-3)
Batting:
HR: Schmidt, Coleman 1 ; Chong, Nathan 1 ; Duroff, Brian 2
RBI: Schmidt, Coleman 1 ; Chong, Nathan 2 ; Duroff, Brian 3 ; Mettam, Jared 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Almanza, Christian 1 ; Pierce, Ryan 1 ; Schmidt, Coleman 2 ; Chong, Nathan 3 ; Duroff, Brian 2
SB: Mashore, Dalton 1 ; Chong, Nathan 1
CS: Duroff, Brian 1
HBP: Almanza, Christian 1
Batting:
HR: Cade Kurland 1 ; Luke Heyman 1 ; Colby Shelton 1
RBI: Cade Kurland 3 ; Luke Heyman 2 ; Colby Shelton 1 ; Ty Evans 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cade Kurland 2 ; Jac Caglianone 1 ; Luke Heyman 1 ; Colby Shelton 1 ; Brody Donay 1 ; Jaylen Guy 1
SB: Colby Shelton 1
HBP: Cade Kurland 2
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
3
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
3
H
2
RBI
2
AB
5
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C/1B
/ BaseballLHP
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballRHP
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballINF/OF
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