Florida baseball advances to the Men’s College World Series finals for the 4th time in program history following a 3-2 victory over TCU.
The Gators start 3-0 in the CWS for the second time in program history (2011), with all three wins coming in one-run games, improving UF’s season record to 10-3 in single-run affairs.
Florida tied their program record for wins in a season (2011 – 53) after taking down the Horned Frogs on Charles Schwab Field.
DEFENSE SHINES
The Gators defense flashed all game long on Wednesday afternoon. Gator Country highlights three key defensive plays that led Florida to victory.
1: In the 4th inning, TCU’s Logan Maxwell singled to right field before a quick rely of Ty Evans – Josh Rivera – BT Riopelle nailed Kurtis Byrne at the plate. The run would have knotted the game at two and could have flipped the momentum Florida had at the time.
2: To end the sixth inning, third baseman Colby Halter reacted to a hard-hit ground ball from Austin Davis, somehow coming up with the ball while diving to his left, throwing out Davis with ease for the final out in the sixth. Halter helped Florida record their first 1-2-3 inning of the game.
3: After checking into the game as a pinch runner and scoring Florida’s go-ahead run, center fielder Michael Robertson secured the game winning out in center field before crashing into the wall. After what looked like a home run off the bat of Brayden Taylor, Robertson immediately took off, tracking the ball into his glove for the 27th out of the game.
“Our defense has played a great factor in where we are today,” shortstop Josh Rivera said on the Gators’ defensive success. “And it’s just huge for us to be able to make the routine plays and also make a spectacular play whenever it’s needed, with Colby Halter making a tremendous diving catch and Mikey running down a ball that was hit really well.”
“It’s important for us and it’s kind of a point of emphasis as a team,” Rivera added. “You just go out there and make all the plays we can and just try to help our pitchers out as best we can.”
“Mikey’s catch was awesome, pitcher Jac Caglianone said postgame. “That ball off the bat, I’m sure everybody thought it had a chance to go out. And seeing him not be afraid of the wall was huge.”
BEND BUT DON’T BREAK
Florida’s pitching staff didn’t have their most electric stuff against TCU, but they made the right pitches at the right time, allowing just two runs and six hits to a Horned Frogs offense that had totaled 15 runs and 31 hits in their three games prior.
Florida’s starting pitcher Jac Caglianone struggled with his command early but was able to strand the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, keeping momentum on Florida’s side.
Caglianone finished with a line of 4.1 IP, three hits, one run, three walks, three HBP, and four strikeouts.
“Jac was really good,” Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan said on Caglianone’s outing. “He’ll probably say otherwise, but at the end of the day he bent but didn’t break if that makes any sense. He made some big pitches.”
“I felt good out there, honestly,” Caglianone said postgame. “I obviously didn’t have my best stuff today, but like Coach said, bend but don’t break.”
Florida turned to RHP Ryan Slater in the fifth, who got the Gators out of another bases loaded jam. An 87 MPH slider got Tre Richardson to swing and miss for the second out of the inning while Kurtis Byrne popped up to second base to end the fifth inning.
Slater retired six of the seven batters he faced, allowing just one hit in his 1.2 innings pitched.
“I think Ryan Slater coming in and recording five outs is huge,” O’Sullivan said. “We didn’t have to go to Cade as early as we possibly wanted to.”
The Gators leaned on freshman LHP Cade Fisher to start the 7th and the Dalton, Georgia native didn’t disappoint, tossing 1.1 innings of perfect baseball, holding the Gators’ one run lead.
Florida’s closer Brandon Neely made an appearance in the middle of the 8th inning, looking for a five out save to send the Gators into the championship series.
Following a chaotic 8th and 9th inning, Neely (2-2) earned the win after recording the final five outs of the game.
“Brandon did his thing at the end,” O’Sullivan said.
TCU left 10 runners on base in the contest.
“I give credit to our bullpen, too, for keeping us in games the whole time we’ve been here too,” second baseman Cade Kurland said postgame.
LIVING BY THE LONG BALL
Two of Florida’s three runs in this contest came from Josh Rivera’s 19th home run of the season in the top of the first inning.
The Gators have posted seven home runs in the CWS, while the rest of the field has hit a combined ten.
Ten of Florida’s 14 runs scored in the CWS has come directly off the long ball.
O’Sullivan’s squad totaled ten hits in the contest, while having only two runs to show for it.
UP NEXT
The Gators will play the winner of bracket #2 (Wake Forest or LSU) in a three-game championship series starting on Saturday, June 24th.