College World Series: Game Preview/How to Watch Florida vs. TCU

Florida baseball is making its comeback in the College World Series, and the team is set to face TCU in a crucial semifinal game that will determine who advances to the finals. The matchup will take place at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. The game is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. Eastern Time.

To catch the action, you can tune in to ESPN or stream the game on ESPN+. If you prefer to listen to the game on the radio, you can follow the broadcast on Gator Radio or Golden Eagles Radio.

The Florida Gators have been performing well in the tournament, securing victories against Virginia and Oral Roberts. On the other hand, TCU has fought its way through the loser bracket after losing to Oral Roberts in their first game. This adds an extra level of intensity to the upcoming match.

In the event that the Gators lose, there will be an "if-necessary" game played on Thursday at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. However, if Florida emerges victorious, they will advance to the College World Series Finals, which are set to begin on Saturday.

Florida enters the game as the favorite, having played fewer innings in the College World Series and enjoying a rest period since their win over Oral Roberts on Sunday night. TCU will rely on true freshman pitcher Kole Klecker, who will be pitching on short rest after a five-inning outing against ORU on Friday.

For the Gators, Jac Caglianone is expected to take the mound. Caglianone, the team's typical No. 3 starting pitcher, has shown improvement throughout the season, steadily lowering his ERA from 4.91 to 3.78 since May. However, he has had some challenges with fastball location in the past.

Florida head coach Kevin O'Sullivan has expressed regret for losing track of the team's mound visits during the previous game. This oversight led to some disruptions, but the bullpen should be well-rested in case any issues arise during the upcoming matchup.

While the pressure in Omaha can be daunting, Coach O'Sullivan is expected to have everything under control. Winning in Omaha is not an easy feat, but Florida has the opportunity to sweep their pool and advance to the Finals.

The game between Florida and TCU is scheduled for 2 p.m. Central Time on Wednesday. Florida will be the away team for this matchup.

Here is the projected starting lineup for the Gators:

C: BT Riopelle

1B: Jac Caglianone

2B: Cade Kurland

3B: Colby Halter

OR: Dale Thomas

SS: Josh Rivera

LF: Tyler Shelnut

CF: Wyatt Langford

RF: Ty Evans

DH: Luke Heyman

Noteworthy statistics for the lineup include Jac Caglianone's impressive performance at the plate, as he is just one RBI away from the school record and two home runs shy of the BBCOR-era record set last season by Texas' Ivan Melendez.

The projected starting pitchers for the game are Jac Caglianone for Florida and Kole Klecker for TCU. Caglianone's control of his fastball will be a key factor in his performance, as he tends to be more consistent when throwing it at a slightly lower velocity. Klecker, on the other hand, relies on generating weak contact rather than relying on strikeouts, and opposing batters tend to hit the ball in the air against him.

Although TCU may not have the strongest lineup, they have some notable hitters to be cautious of, including first baseman Cole Fontenelle and third baseman Brayden Taylor, who have been performing well in terms of batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage.

In terms of the series' history, Florida has the advantage with a 2-1 overall record against TCU. The previous three games between the two teams took place during the 2017 College World Series, where Florida won two out of three games, including the decisive final match against TCU.

As Florida and TCU face off once again, Florida will look to take advantage of the rest while TCU tries to stay alive..