College World Series: Gators 5, NC State 4 — Caglianone, Shelnut Homer, Neely Finishes Wolfpack

WHAT HAPPENED: Florida’s season remains alive as the Gators beat the Wolfpack, 5-4, Monday afternoon in an elimination game at the College World Series. NC State took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI single from Brandon Butterworth. However, Florida responded with a four-run second inning to take control. The Gators never trailed again though the Wolfpack cut the lead to 4-3 and 5-4. Jac Caglianone and Tyler Shelnut homered for the Gators, who bounced back from their opening loss to Texas A&M to win for the seventh time in nine games in the NCAA Tournament.

PLAY OF THE GAME: Caglianone stepped to the plate in the top of the second with the score 1-1 and two out. He pounded an 0-1 pitch from Wolfpack left-hander Dominic Fritton 404 feet into the right-field seats for a three-run homer. Caglianone’s line-drive shot had a 116-mph exit velocity and put the Gators in front after NC State scored a run in the first inning.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Who else, No. 14 for the Gators. Caglianone etched his name further in Florida’s record books at the plate (see “By The Numbers” below). Meanwhile, he had to leave the mound after the first inning due to control issues. He hit a batter and walked two in the bottom of the first, giving up one run. Caglianone threw just 16 strikes in his 33-pitch first inning and was replaced by left-hander Cade Fisher in the second.

STAGGERING STAT: Closer Brandon Neely earned his fifth save of the season by pitching three scoreless innings, continuing his outstanding work on the mound during the NCAA Tournament. Neely has pitched 21 of Florida’s 84 innings in the postseason — or 25 percent. 

KEY MOMENT: Florida led 5-4 when Jake Clemente walked Wolfpack leadoff hitter Eli Serrano III to start the seventh. O’Sullivan took a walk to the mound to replace Clemente with closer Brandon Neely. As he has done all postseason, Neely put away NC State, retiring Nos. 3-4 hitters Garrett Pennington and Alex Makarewicz before walking Jacob Cozart. No problem. Neely struck out Butterworth swinging to end the inning and keep the Gators in the lead.

BY THE NUMBERS: 74 — Career home runs for Caglianone, tying Matt LaPorta (2004-07) atop the UF career home run list. 34 — Home runs for Caglianone this season, breaking his single-season school record (33) from a season ago. 6 — Consecutive wins for Florida over NC State in the NCAA Tournament.

HE SAID IT: “He didn’t have his best stuff. I could just tell there was a different look in his eye. I didn’t want to push him, and we had Cade [Fisher] fresh, and that’s what we decided to do.” — Gators head coach Kevin O’Sullivan on decision to pull Caglianone from the mound after the first inning

UP NEXT: Florida faces the loser of tonight’s Kentucky-Texas A&M in another elimination game on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.

NOTABLES

• Florida is playing in the College World Series for the 14th time in program history and ninth time under head coach Kevin O’Sullivan.

  • O’Sullivan has navigated the Gators to Omaha in nine of the last 14 postseasons.

• The Gators have now won eight of their last nine NCAA Tournament elimination games dating back to last season.
• Florida won its 20th come-from-behind game of the campaign and fifth comeback victory of the postseason on Monday.
• Robertson improved to 12-for-35 in nine NCAA Tournament games (.343) with a multi-hit affair on Monday.
• Caglianone tied Matt LaPorta’s all-time program record with his 74th career home run while breaking his own single-season record with his 34th homer of the season.

  • He became the first starting pitcher to hit a home run in a CWS game since Auburn’s Tim Hudson accomplished the feat vs. Rice in 1997.

• Caglianone extended his on-base streak to 50-straight contests.

  • Caglianone has hit safely in 60 of 64 games while reaching safely in all but one contest.
  • Caglianone’s 34th homer made him the sixth Gator with 100 hits in a single season – tied with Jeff Corsaletti for fifth-most all-time.

• Caglianone is 12-for-30 (.400) with five home runs, four doubles, 13 runs, 13 RBI, 14 walks and five strikeouts in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

  • He owns seven hits and three home runs all-time at the College World Series.

• Caglianone was intentionally walked twice to increase his season total to 30 on Monday.
• Neely locked down his third save of the postseason and fifth of the campaign with three shutout, one-hit innings of relief highlighted by six strikeouts.
• In the 2024 postseason, Neely has made six appearances with a 1.29 ERA, 21 innings pitched, three runs allowed, 12 hits allowed and 32 strikeouts.

  • Neely has pitched 25% of Florida’s postseason innings (21 of 84).

• Shelnut picked up a nine-game hitting streak with his 16th home run of the season.

  • It was Shelnut’s first-career homer at the College World Series.

• Florida’s scoring streak of 143-consecutive games is the third-longest in program history (May 27, 2022-present).
• The Gators are 136-87 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.

  • Florida is 26-27 at the College World Series.

• Florida is now 6-1 all-time vs. NC State (1-1 neutral).

  • The Gators are 3-0 against the Wolfpack under head coach Kevin O’Sullivan (1-0 CWS)

• Monday’s official attendance was 23,578.

— Sullivan Bortner contributed to this report.