Florida baseball takes first SEC series with win Sunday against Texas A&M

Florida baseball opened its SEC schedule with success, as UF took two of three games from Texas A&M over the weekend at Condon Family Ballpark.

The No. 8 Florida Gators (12-7, 2-1 SEC) beat Texas A&M 8-6 on Friday, lost 10-6 on Saturday and won 4-2 on Sunday.

“We’re really close to being the team that I think we can be," Florida baseball coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "It’s just that we’re going through some growing pains with the young arms.”

Florida won its 14th-consecutive regular-season home series dating back to the 2022 season. The Gators are 45-12 at home since the start of last season.

“We know how good we are, we know what we’re capable of,” Florida outfielder Tyler Shelnut said. “It’s just finding that rhythm, getting in a groove and starting to play better baseball as a whole.”

Here are three takeaways from the UF baseball series win:

Florida baseball RHP Brandon Neely earns SEC honors

Neely pitched three shutout innings to earn the save on Friday, then threw two more scoreless relief outings and picked up his first win of the season. Overall, Neely struck out 10 batters over six innings to earn SEC pitcher of the week honors.

Neely threw 38 pitches on Friday in his first save of 2024.

"That's as good as he's looked since opening night," O'Sullivan said. "I think some of his outings, he's maybe been frustrated he hasn't pitched. You go down to the pen, he's a competitor. He wants to pitch in every game, and it hasn't quite gone that way for the first 16 games."

On Sunday, O'Sullivan was concerned about Neely developing a sore biceps in his throwing arm, so he turned to freshman Luke McNeillie in the ninth inning, who worked around a leadoff single to earn his first career save.

Florida outfielder Tyler Shelnut smacks a pair of clutch home runs

Shelnut belted a go-ahead, three-run home run on Friday in the third inning that put Florida up 6-5 and a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning Sunday. That capped a weekend in which Shelnut went 6-for-11 with two home runs and 5 RBIs.

Shelnut also displayed his versatility in the field, going from left field the first two games to playing third base on Sunday.

UF baseball lineup continues consistent production

Florida scored 18 runs on 31 hits over the three-game series, socking eight home runs. Jac Caglianone hit a pair of home runs Friday, and Luke Heyman belted home runs on Saturday and Sunday. Florida's 42 home runs on the season ranks third in the SEC.