GAINESVILLE, Fla. — When Gators outfielder
Wyatt Langford departed Friday night's game due to injury, those who follow the UF baseball team closely knew it was more than allergies or an upset stomach.
Langford rarely slows down for a speed bump.
Announcer Nick Belmonte, calling the game on the SEC Network+ with play-by-play man Jeff Cardozo, had just gushed about Langford's approach to the game when the junior stepped into the batter's box in the bottom of the second inning.
"He plays 100 percent at all times,'' Belmonte said. "When I saw that early on, I went, 'who is this guy? He's like a throwback. He plays everything like it's the last game he's ever going to play.' That's what you love about
Wyatt Langford."
In Langford's at-bat against Siena starter Ario Marynczak, Langford took a big cut at a high fastball. As they say, he fouled the pitch off where the sun doesn't shine.
"That's one of those – I guess the best way to put this is – take a bunch of deep breaths,'' Belmonte said. "He saw that pitch up and said I'm going to take a hack at it. And unfortunately, it ended up where it did."
An undisclosed injury landed Langford in the dugout for Florida's 11-0 win over Siena on Saturday afternoon at Condron Ballpark. Afterward, Gators head coach
Kevin O'Sullivan said Langford is out for an unspecified time.
"Wyatt, obviously, he was evaluated and treated by the doctors last night,'' O'Sullivan said. "It's going to take a little bit of time for him to get back. There's really no timeline, but we will get him back. It will be soon, but things are going to take a little bit of time."
Langford is ranked among the top players available in the 2023 MLB amateur draft and is having another splendid season. He is batting .431 (25-for-58) with six homers, 18 RBI, and 15 extra-base hits in 16 games. Langford exploded onto the scene a season ago when he hit 26 home runs, tying Matt LaPorta's single-season school record for home runs in a season. He was named a first-team All-American by
D1Baseball and second-team by
Baseball America.
The Gators did not miss Langford on Saturday, pounding 13 hits and scoring 11 runs to improve to 14-3. Third baseman
Colby Halter, batting ninth, went 2-for-2 with a home run and three RBI. O'Sullivan started
Richie Schiekofer in left field and used center fielder
Michael Robertson in the leadoff spot, followed by second baseman
Cade Kurland in Langford's usual No. 2 spot in the lineup.
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"I think that's pretty obvious to anyone that looks at the team. We've got a ton of depth, and obviously, Wyatt is a superstar and one of the best players in the country, but other guys need to step up and take place from where he left off,'' Halter said. "We're going to do that. We're a team and got each other's back."
O'Sullivan addressed Langford's status with the team Saturday and sent the players the same message Halter spoke about after the game.
Langford can't be replaced, but his production can if the rest of the lineup does its job.
"It was a good way to respond," O'Sullivan said. "The bottom line, we've got to have guys step up. Wyatt is a huge part of our offense. It's kind of weird putting the lineup together and not writing his name down there. He was in the dugout with us, and it was good to see him. Those things happen, unfortunately.
"The bottom line is, I thought they did a nice job."
The Gators will try to duplicate the performance on Sunday when they go for a sweep over Siena.Â
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