Florida star Jac Caglianone led the Gators to a win over rival Georgia on Sunday, and he also broke out one of the greatest home run celebrations you will ever see.
The NCAA this season instructed umpires to crack down on player celebrations. Home plate umpire Brian deBrauwere did exactly that when he threw Florida pitcher Brandon Neely out of Sunday’s game in the top of the eighth for what seemed like a very tame flex/fist pump.
#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
— Will Levenson (@BigWillLevenson) April 16, 2023
Neely was understandably excited following a big strikeout to preserve a 6-4 lead, but deBrauwere wasn’t having it. The ejection sent a message to players, and it is one that was heard loud and clear by Caglianone.
The very next inning, Caglianone belted a grand slam to give the Gators an 11-4 lead and essentially put the game away. He walked like a zombie to the dugout and barely acknowledged his teammates.
Pitcher gets tossed for celebrating a strikeout, so Jac Caglianone mashes a grand slam the very next inning and absolutely does not celebrate.
Instant legend. https://t.co/Kp8rtyp75D pic.twitter.com/WdxQ8fOcpo
— Lucas Dolengowski (@LDolengowski) April 16, 2023
What a game for Caglianone. The sophomore started on the mound for Florida and got the win, allowing just four hits and two earned runs over five innings. He went 2-for-4 from the plate with seven RBI. To top it all off, he made a mockery of an ejection that was total nonsense.
