Redemption day for Slater; Gators win regional championship

Monday was Ryan Slater’s redemption day. Two days removed from giving up the 2-run homer in the eighth inning that cost Florida a 5-4 loss to Texas Tech and 364 days since he gave up four eighth inning runs in relief in another 5-4 loss, this one to Oklahoma in the championship game of the Gainesville Regional, Slater got a starting call with the Gators’ season hanging in the balance.

This time, the pain and bad memories melted away as Slater gave the Gators five quality innings of 3-hit pitching. Backed by a solo homer by Wyatt Langford and a pair of 2-run homers by BT Riopelle, Slater picked up his 10th win of the season as Florida took out Texas Tech, 6-0, to win the Gainesville Regional.

With the win, the Gators (48-15) will host an NCAA super regional against South Carolina (42-19) starting Friday. This marks the ninth time the Gators have advanced to a super regional in head coach Kevin O'Sullivan's 16-year tenure and their first since 2018.

Slater’s outstanding effort allowed the Gators to win the regional the hard way. The loss to Texas Tech Saturday night forced UF to climb out of a deep hole that required three consecutive wins to emerge champions. Hurston Waldrep got the tough run going with a 12-strikeout performance over seven innings Sunday afternoon as the Gators eliminated UConn, 8-2. Sunday night, freshman Cade Fisher also went seven innings as Florida evened the score against Texas Tech, 7-1, setting the stage for Slater’s redemption on Monday.

The closest Sater (10-1) came to trouble was in the second when he gave up a leadoff double to Austin Green, whose high bouncer barely eluded Jac Caglianone at first. Slater shut down the next three hitters in order, the third out coming on a hard grounder in the short-third hole that Josh Rivera flagged down and made the throw to first a step ahead of Dylan Maxcey.

The Gators gave Slater plenty of support. In the third, Langford rocketed a pitch to the back side of the Texas Tech bullpen for his 18th homer of the season. An inning later, with Rivera on first after a single to left, Riopelle hammered his 14th home run to right center field to put UF ahead 3-0.

Langford reached first on an error in the fifth. With the lefty swinging Caglianone at the plate, Texas Tech put the shift on with three infielders to the right side of second base and the shortstop standing on the grass in center field. Langford took off for second and beat a throw which carried shortstop Will Burns to the right side of second base. Langford popped up from his slide and took off for third, which was uncovered, outracing Burns for a most unconventional double steal. After Caglianone struck out, Rivera singled up the middle against a drawn in infield to score Langford. Riopelle then delivered his second homer of the game into the Florida bullpen in right field for a 6-0 Florida lead.

Slater was solid through five innings, giving up no runs, three hits and two walks. When he gave up a leadoff single to Gage Harrelson in the sixth, Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan went to the bullpen to bring in Phil Abner. After a walk to Kevin Bazzell, Abner set down the next three hitters to erase the threat.

Abner pitched the Gators into the eighth when Nolen Hester walked and Harrelson singled up the middle to lead things off. O’Sullivan went to the pen again, bringing on closer Brandon Neely who erased the threat with a strikeout, a tapper to the mound and an easy grounder to Kurland at second.

Neely gave up a walk in a scoreless ninth to close out the game and the championship for UF.

All-Tournament team: C Ty Hanchey, Florida A&M; 1B Jac Caglianone, Florida; 2B Austin Green, Texas Tech; 3B Kevin Bazzell, Texas Tech; SS Josh Rivera, Florida; OF Wyatt Langford, Florida; Tyler Shelnut, Florida; Korey Morton, UConn; DH Zac Vooletich, Texas Tech; Starting Pitchers Mason Molina, Texas Tech and Hurston Waldrep, Florida; Relief Pitcher Brandon Neely, Florida

MVP: Jac Caglianone, Florida