GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman left 14 men on the base Wednesday evening, as No. 4 Florida scored four early runs in the first inning and three in the eighth to defeat the Wildcats 9-2 in midweek baseball action at Condron Ballpark.
 
Trailing 6-0 in the top of the eighth inning, Bethune-Cookman (4-4) finally broke through with runners in scoring position on the Gators pitching staff with a pair of runs.
 
With runners on first and second and two away, pinch hitter Peter Vazquez punched a single to shallow right, allowing Irvin Escobar and Ramses Cordova to score on the play.
 
Florida (6-2) would answer quickly in the home-half of the frame with three runs of their own in order to put the game out of reach.
 
Jac Caglianone recorded his second home run of the young season with a three-run shot to deep right field that put UF back up comfortably, 9-2.
 
A night after falling to Stetson in DeLand, the fourth-ranked Gators set the tone early-on with four runs in the home-half of the first inning, as the first four batters reached safely to open.
 
Michael Robertson walked to begin the at-bat, followed by a Caglianone single that moved Robertson to third. A wild pitch from Bethune-Cookman starting pitcher Dylan Dudones allowed Robertson to scamper in for the game's opening run and give Florida the 1-0 lead. After a walk drawn by Ty Evans, shortstop Colby Shelton homered to right field – one of three home runs for the hosts on the evening, widening the Gators lead at 4-0.
 
Florida made it 5-0 in the bottom of the third via Tyler Shelnut's two-out solo home run to straightaway center field.
 
Bethune-Cookman put runners in scoring position in each of the first four innings.
 
Jose Gonzalez advanced to third in the second with two outs but was left stranded after hard hit ball to third baseman Shelnut off the bat off Colton Olasin. And Sergio Rivera got himself on with a two-out double in the top of the third before a strikeout from Florida reliever Robert Satin retired the side.
 
BCU relief pitcher Yoansell Diaz was strong in relief efforts for the visitors. However, the hot-hitting Gators would finally get to the senior right-hander from Hialeah, Florida in the bottom of the fifth when first baseman Luke Heyman singled and Shelnut collected his third hit of the night with a run-scoring double off the wall in center.
 
Florida led 6-0 after five innings complete.
 
In the sixth, the Wildcats loaded the bases for AJ Smith before the junior outfielder grounded out on a close play at the bag at first.
 
UF was led at the dish by Shelnut's 3-for-4 night, followed by Shelton (2 for 4) and Caglianone (2 for 5).
 
The win went to Satin out of the bullpen, as he tossed three frames, striking out four and allowing just one hit mixed with two walks. Starting pitcher Fisher Jameson did not factor into the decision as he worked just 2.2 innings, giving up three hits and two walks to go along with three strikeouts.
 
Wildcats starter Dudones suffered his first defeat of the season on the mound, evening his record at 1-1 for the year, as he threw three frames, allowing five runs on four hits to go along with one strikeout and two walks. Diaz finished with two innings on the bump out of the bullpen, giving up one run on three hits. And Patrick Groark saw action late on the hill in pitching two innings with a walk and a strikeout against no hits allowed.
 
BCU was led at the dish by Cordova with a 2-for-3 effort and adding a run. Vazquez supplied two RBIs in a 1-for-1 showing at the plate, while Escobar also scored a run and produced a hit on the night.
 
The Wildcats are back in action this weekend when hosting Northwestern to Jackie Robinson Ballpark for a three-game set slated to begin Friday, March 1, at 7 p.m. As for Florida, the Gators will travel to Coral Gables to face in-state opponent Miami (Fla.) in a three-game series beginning Friday evening at Mark Light Field.
 
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