CLEMSON, S.C. — Jac Caglianone hit his 32nd home run of the season to spark Florida's seven-run fifth inning and the Gators beat Clemson 10-7 on Saturday to win Game 1 of the best-of-three Clemson Super Regional.
Florida (33-28) can clinch a berth in the College World Series with a win in Game 2 on Sunday.
Caglianone hit an 0-1 pitch over the wall in left for a three-run home run to give the Gators the lead for good before Michael Robertson's RBI single capped the explosion and made it 9-4 in the top of the fifth.
Tristan Bissetta hit a solo shot for Clemson (44-15) in the home half of the inning and Jarren Purify scored on a sacrifice fly before a groundout by Blake Wright drove in Alden Mathes in the bottom of the sixth to pull the Tigers within 9-7.
Caglianone, a projected top-10 pick in the upcoming MLB draft, finished 2 for 4 with a walk. Dale Thomas went 2 for 5 with an RBI and Tyler Shelnut hit a solo homer for Florida.
Jimmy Obertop drew a two-out walk to load the bases before and advanced to second while Mathes scored on a wild pitch. Bissetta walked to again load the bases and Jack Crighton took four consecutive balls to drive in Wright and give Clemson a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.
Purify led off the second inning with a triple and scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0 and, after Ashton Wilson's sacrifice fly drove in Cade Kurland to get Florida on the scoreboard in the top of the third, Obertop led off the home half of the inning with a homer to make it 4-1.
Mathes finished 3 for 5 with two runs for the Tigers.
Brandon Neely came on in the sixth and pitched four scoreless innings, giving up a hit and a walk while striking out seven for Florida to earn his fourth save of the season.
