From Triumph to Home Run: Florida Survives Elimination with Caglianone’s Heroics

The 2024 Men’s College World Series saw the elimination of Virginia on Sunday, with Florida and NC State facing the same fate in Monday’s opening game in Omaha. In the game between Florida and NC State, the Gators emerged victorious with a score of 5-4. Both teams had lost their first College World Series game and were at risk of being eliminated on Monday afternoon. However, Florida managed to secure a win and stay alive in the tournament, while NC State’s run came to an end.

Junior Jac Caglianone had a notable performance in the game, pitching just one inning but then hitting a pivotal three-run home run in the second inning to give the Gators a 4-1 lead. Despite experiencing arm issues on the mound, Caglianone’s impressive hitting helped Florida secure the win. With his home run in the game, Caglianone tied Matt LaPorta for the most home runs in Florida baseball history with 74. He has been a standout player for the team, hitting a total of 67 home runs over the past two seasons.

Reflecting on his performance, Caglianone stated, “Just gotta flush it, just gotta move on,” emphasizing the importance of putting setbacks behind him in order to excel. Florida is set to play next on Wednesday against the loser of the Texas A&M-Kentucky game.