NCAA baseball player’s strong reactions during at-bat scrutinized
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The Florida Gators men’s baseball team opened their three-game series against the Texas Longhorns with an 8-2 victory. But, much of the chatter ended up revolving around a Texas player’s at-bat.
Jonah Williams, a freshman at Texas, appeared to spark some discontent from the Florida faithful late in the game. The Longhorns, trailing 8-1 in the seventh inning, did not stop Williams from making exuberant expressions in reaction to seemingly every pitch he saw when he was in the batter’s box.
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Texas outfielder Jonah Williams on first base during the Longhorns’ game against Louisville at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (Jonah-Williams-Texas-baseball.jpg)
Texas did have a runner on base during Williams’ much-discussed at-bat. If Williams drove in that runner, the deficit would’ve been cut to six.
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Nevertheless, the Texas freshman used his time in the batter’s box to pump himself up and seemingly to encourage his teammates not to give up on rallying.
The Texas Longhorns take on the Florida Gators in Austin, May 9, 2025. (Sara Diggins/American-Statesman/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
But, Williams’ tactics seemed to quickly evolve from motivational to taunting.
Williams ultimately earned a free trip to first base after four pitches landed outside the strike zone. But, during his walk to first, Williams tossed his bat aside and nodded his head.
Texas Longhorns outfielder Jonah Williams rounds first base against the Florida Gators in Austin, May 9, 2025.
The behavior sparked some questions from fans and other observers, considering he was not gearing up to circle the bases after a home run or any other clutch base hit.
Some critics even suggested Williams’ dictated a response from Florida’s baseball team. On Saturday, the second game of the series, Williams stepped up to the plate and hit a bases-clearing double. The hit helped lift Texas to a 5-2 victory.
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The third game of the series is set for this afternoon.
Williams also plays for the Texas football team.
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