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Sunday, during the Florida Gators’ game against their SEC rival Georgia, once again an unnecessary ump show broke out.
In the top of the eighth inning with the bases loaded with Bulldogs, Florida Gators pitcher Brandon Neely was very fired up after getting the final out of the inning with a big strikeout to hold on to a 6-4 lead.
As he walked off the mound, Neely flexed, screamed “let’s go!” and pumped his fist. Pretty standard reaction to coming through big in a key situation in a game.
Home plate umpire Brian deBrauwere, however, didn’t see it that way and as Neely was walking off the field he was tossed.
#Gators Pitcher Brandon Neely is thrown out for flexing after a massive strike out.
Fans are furious. Showering the home plate umpire with boos – for good reason.
Not entirely sure how that is warranted of ejection pic.twitter.com/2NHDnzrsfX
— Big Will (@BigWillLevenson) April 16, 2023
Gators fans and coaches were understandably upset with the call, raining down boos on the umpire.
Then, in the bottom of the eighth inning, sophomore Florida slugger Jac Caglianone, who leads college baseball in home runs, came up to bat, again with the bases loaded.
The Bulldogs pitcher did not fare as well as Brandon Neely did as Caglianone hit a bomb for a grand slam giving the Gators a 11-4 lead they would not relinquish.
In response to the umpire ridiculously throwing his teammate out of the game in the previous half-inning, Jac Caglianone responded by robotically circling the bases, showing absolutely no emotion whatsoever and practically ignoring his very fired up teammates who were waiting to congratulate him.
Umpire tossed Brandon Neely from the game after his strike out celebration in the top of the 8th. Jac Caglianone then hits a grand slam and makes sure there’s no reason for him to get tossed too pic.twitter.com/UYN8EQny2h
— Stephen Schoch (@bigdonkey47) April 16, 2023
Caglianone certainly had plenty to celebrate on Sunday. Not only did he hit a grand slam to put the game away, he also had three other RBI for a total of seven in the game. He also started the game on the mound, going five innings, allowing just four hits and two earned runs to pick up the win.
“Cags was special today… On the mound gave us five really good innings, and offensively with the two home runs and seven RBI,” said Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan after the game.