June 27, 2023

The question heading into Monday night’s championship game of the College World Series was who had enough pitching to get through nine innings. From the time he got past Florida’s first two hitters – Cade Kurland who singled and Wyatt Langford who hit a 401-foot homer – there was no question LSU’s Thatcher Hurd had it. By the time the third out was recorded in the LSU top half of the second inning, it was fairly obvious Florida’s pitching had hit a wall. This was a complete reversal of roles. Sunday, the Gators (54-17) had all the answers both at the plate and on the mound. Monday night, the Tigers (54-17) had it and the result was an 18-4 win for the eighth NCAA championship in LSU history. Following Langford’s 21st home run, his third homer of more than 400 feet in the College World Series, Hurd was all but untouchable. There were some hard shots off the sophomore righthander, but the Florida offense never got cranked up. In six innings, Hurd allowed only two hits and walked two while striking out seven. He was throwing a 96 mile per hour fast ball, but it was a hard breaking ball that the Gators couldn’t handle. It wasn’t until Ty Evans hit an opposite field home run that barely got over the fence in right off LSU reliever Riley Cooper that the Gators had their third hit of the game and by then, the game had been long decided. Florida added an eighth inning home run by Kurland, his 17th of the season off Gavin Guidry, but that was all the offense the Gators could generate. Midway through the second inning it was painfully obvious that this was not to be Florida’s night when it came to pitching. Jac Caglianone, who looked so capable of dominating when he struck out Tommy White and Tre Morgan back-to-back to end the first, came unglued in the top of the second. It started with a pitch clock violation. Before he had even delivered a pitch to Gavin Dugas, the count was 1-0, an omen of bad things to come. Three pitches later Dugas was on first with a walk and Caglianone’s adventure with the strike zone was only beginning. A wild pitch moved Dugas to second and a Brayden Jobert single put runners on first and third. A single by light hitting Jordan Thompson cut Florida’s lead in half and a ground force at second tied the game. Then came another walk and for the second time in the game, Caglianone hit Cade Beloso with a pitch, driving home Jobert from third to tie the game at 2-2. A walk to Dylan Crews put LSU ahead for good, 3-2. That was it for Caglianone, but Cade Fisher also had his struggles when he came in from the bullpen. He gave up a run-scoring single to White, a sacrifice fly by Morgan and a run-scoring single by Dugas. There was another single by Jobert, but it only loaded the bases. When Thompson hit a fly ball to center field, the inning came to a merciful conclusion with the Tigers leading, 6-2. Ryan Slater replaced Fisher in the third, but things fell apart for him in the fourth when he gave up four runs including a 2-run homer to Josh Pearson. Tyler Nesbit went three innings and while LSU tagged him for five hits, he gave up only one run. Blake Purnell came on but he was ineffective, giving up seven hits and five runs in 1-1/3 innings. Fisher Jameson came on to close things out in the ninth with the Gators trailing, 16-4. Jameson gave up a 2-run homer but got the Gators out of the inning without further damage. The Gators hit 16 home runs in the College World Series, a record for Charles Schwab Park. The Gators had enough offense to win the national championship, but there wasn’t enough pitching, particularly Monday night when they needed it the most. Florida's runner-up finish did complete a rather remarkable end to the 2022-23 sports year. Since May 1, the Gators won NCAA titles in men's golf and men's track while finishing runner-up in women's track and baseball.

OMAHA -- As the 2023 NCAA College Baseball National Championship in Omaha reaches its pinnacle, the Florida Gators and LSU Tigers gear up for a dramatic winner-take all Game 3. After a nail-biting extra-innings loss in Game 1, the Gators bounced back with a record-breaking 24-4 triumph Sunday. Pitching Challenges and Strategies LSU's pitching staff faces a significant challenge in managing fatigue, particularly in the case of Tiger star pitcher Paul Skenes. Regarded as the best pitcher in college baseball and a potential top-three draft pick next month, Skenes has thrown an astonishing 243 pitches over the past nine days. Despite concerns about fatigue, Skenes' talent could make a significant impact if called upon. Will he called upon to start? His performance will likely be fueled by adrenaline in a late-game situation if it is close at the end. On the other hand, the Gators will rely on two-way threat Jac Caglianone to take the mound in Game 3. Caglianone has displayed mixed results throughout the season, with impressive outings against Vanderbilt and Florida A&M, but struggled throwing strikes as of late. However, Florida boasts a deep bullpen, offering a safety net in case Caglianone struggles. With pitchers like Ryan Slater, Brandon Neely, and Cade Fisher, the Gators can confidently manage the game if Caglianone falls short. Key Players and Projected Lineup Both teams possess formidable lineups capable of delivering clutch performances. For the Gators, players like BT Riopelle, Caglianone, and Josh Rivera have consistently showcased their offensive ability throughout the season. And they've got red-hot Ty Evans, who has four homers in the CWS. Riopelle's power hitting, Caglianone's impressive batting average and new home run record and Rivera's ability to get on base make them significant threats. Wyatt Langford has also come on the scene in a big way for the Gators coming off of a 5-for-5 showing at the plate. The Gators hope to ride their momentum to claim their second national championship, while the Tigers hope to overcome a stressful Game 2 Omaha experience. The outcome will hinge on critical factors such as pitching performance, offensive firepower and strategic decision-making. How To Watch Fans can catch all the action of this showdown by tuning in to ESPN for the live broadcast. Additionally, ESPN 98.1FM/850AM WRUF will provide radio coverage, and a live stream will be available on fuboTV. Join me on message boards where I will have a live game thread and will answer any questions or thoughts. 🔗👇 https://www.gatorbaitmedia.com/gatorgab/florida-gator-baseball/cws-game-3-thread

While the No. 1 wide receiver in the nation, Jeremiah Smith, is still the dream wideout for the class of 2024, the coaching staff has added a second talented pass catcher. Jerrae Hawkins, a four-star receiver from Wheeling (WVa.), announced his commitment to Florida on Monday afternoon as Gator recruiting continues to stay hot as we roll towards the end of June. Hawkins is the second wide receiver added to the class, joining Izaiah Williams who committed to the Gators back at the beginning of May. The IMG Academy product had honed in on a commitment date for later in July, but announced on Sunday that he would be moving up his timeline, instantly exciting Gator Nation. After his official visit on June 9, Hawkins said that Florida and Penn State were the two leaders in his recruitment. Hawkins had taken an unofficial visit to Penn State at the beginning of June before returning to Pennsylvania for an official visit this past weeked. However, the trip to Gainesville clearly made the most impact as the Gators landed their second four-star receiver. Hawkins is ranked as the No. 38 receiver in the nation for the class of the 2024 according to On3's composite rankings. The 5-foot-9, 160-pound receiver caught 67 passes for 1,173 yards and 14 TD last season for Wheeling Park . He also earned some snaps on defense where he registered 8 tackles, 3 PBU and a pick six at corner. In addition to his prowess on the gridiron, Hawkins is a highly decorated sprinter who took first at West Virginia’s AAA state track meet in both the 100 and 200 meter dashes as a sophomore, and also won the 60-meter dash at the Florida Indoor Championships after transferring into IMG. Adding Hawkins now finds the Gators with 17 commits for the class of 2024. Florida has the No. 3 recruiting class according to On3 and the No. 4 class per 247Sports' rankings.

It comes as no big surprise to me that the Gator baseball team pummeled LSU in a resounding 24-4 victory that has forced a College World Series Winner-Take-All Game 3. It was a bit of Joni magic. If you read my post yesterday, you'll know that I asked all of you out there to dedicate the game to one of the truest followers of the Orange and Blue, my late mother Joni Martin. Her passing a week ago saddened us all, but her spirit lives on in the hearts of those she touched. Please indulge me one last time. Joni was all about family, not just the ties of blood, but those formed through love and camaraderie. When we embarked on the journey to create Gator Bait Media, my mother was a staunch supporter. She believed deeply in the concept of our Gator family, as do all of us here. Being a former baseball player myself, I am reminded of the years my mother tirelessly transported me to and from baseball practices. Whether it was a cold spring morning or a hot dry summer day in Colorado, my mother was always resolute, ensuring that I was there on time with my uniform perfectly clean, ready for battle. She was a resilient woman, my mom, and she believed in the family that is formed amongst teammates. My mother also believed in superstitions, as most ball players do. Not stepping on the foul line when jogging to your position, not mentioning a no-hitter in progress; you know the rituals. And now, I feel moved to extend her legacy in this short message. Just as I dedicated yesterday's game to her, I want to dedicate one more Gator victory to her memory. If you watched the game Sunday, you'll know that the stadium in Omaha will be awash in purple and gold tonight. Even if we can't be there, put on your Gator colors and yell. Today is not the day become overconfident and rest on our laurels. As exciting as it was to watch our boys break records and dominate the Tigers, we all know the history with LSU. The Tiger never seem to go quietly. So once more, I dedicate this game to the greatest Gator fan I've ever known. While my father taught me the nuances of being a Gator, my mother taught me to never lose faith, to never become overconfident, and to always stay focused on the task at hand. These are invaluable lessons in both life and as a loyalist to the orange and blue. I ask all of you Gators -- even those of you who only follow football -- to keep our boys in your thoughts and prayers. My mother would want us to remain humble, not to "get above our raisin'." Let's learn from Joni's wisdom: don your orange and blue today, put on your game face as you watch the game and believe in Joni Magic. Let's honor Joni by remembering her advice, which still resonates in my heart this morning. It's time to unite as a soverign Gator Nation and remain classy. And in all kinds of weather, we all stick together, as she often reminded us. So let's win this one for Joni, but let's win it the way she always taught me. Put on your rally caps, be mindful of your superstitions, light a candle, say a prayer, and let your Gator Spirit soar today. I know my mom will be smiling down on our boys in Omaha. I love you, Mom. You taught me how to love the Gators. So today, I lay down my journalist hat, and I simply say, "Go Gators!"

June 26, 2023 A few thoughts to jump start your Monday morning: Let’s start with the obvious. Well, maybe not so obvious because some of the talking heads kept insisting that Florida’s 24-4 rout of LSU might have been different if Ty Evans grand slam hadn’t gotten a teensy bit of help from Mother Nature. The same wind that helped to blow what seemed to be a foul all into a fair ball grand slam homer in the third was blowing out all day for LSU. LSU’s hitters, those same ones that we were reminded constantly can hit the ball out of any park not named Yellowstone, managed one home run Sunday and that was with two out in the bottom of the ninth. It cut Florida’s lead by an extra point. By contrast, the Gators (54-16) hit six home runs: Two by Evans, one by Wyatt Langford, two by Jac Caglianone and one by BT Riopelle. Those guys were swinging and missing a lot Saturday night when the Gators lost in 11 innings, 4-3. Amazing what happens when they make good contact, contact that was inevitable. Paybacks are hell when that happens. A few big takeaways from the win that sends the Gators into tonight’s (7 p.m.) College World Series championship game with LSU brimming with confidence and riding a tsunami’s worth of momentum: 1. Because Purnell and Nick Ficarrotta were able to shut down LSU on three hits and one meaningless ninth inning run over the final 6-2/3 innings, the Gators were able to give plenty of rest to the key people in their bullpen, which is important since expected starter Jac Caglianone (7-3, 3.68 ERA) has been inconsistent pitching away from Gainesville. If Caglianone isn’t sharp, then Kevin O’Sullivan won’t hesitate to turn to Ryan Slater (10-1, 3.68 ERA, 3 saves), who hasn’t pitched since this past Wednesday against TCU. Both Cade Fisher (6-0, 3.19 ERA) and Brandon Neely (2-3, 3.58 ERA, 13 saves), who pitched multiple innings Saturday, have a day of rest and lefty Phil Abner (3-0, 3.16 ERA, 3 saves) has yet to pitch in Omaha. Purnell induced an inning-ending double play ball off the bat of Tommy White with the bases loaded in the bottom of the third Sunday and Ficarrotta went five full innings. “I thought the double play that Blake Purnell got was a huge play in the game and, obviously, Nick came in and did a terrific job on the mound,” Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. 2. From an offensive standpoint, the Gators have been a team of spurts all year long. Once they get the bats going, they tend to stay hot for awhile. That bodes well for Monday night no matter who LSU throws. Prior to Sunday, the first five hitters in the Florida lineup (Cade Kurland, Wyatt Langford, Jac Caglianone, Josh Rivera and BT Riopelle) were a combined 15-83 (.180) with five doubles, four homers and 10 RBI. Sunday, those same five hitters were 14-27 with three doubles, four homers and 13 RBI. The wind might have helped one of those homers (the one Riopelle hit to dead center) but the other three were no doubters wind in or wind out. Evans, who is a candidate for MVP of the College World Series if the Gators win tonight, is 7-16 with two doubles, four homers and eight RBI for the five games so far. Coming into Omaha, Evans had four home runs and hadn’t hit one since April 11. “Obviously, your best players have to perform,” O’Sullivan said. “Wyatt had an unbelievable day. I think he went 5-for-5. Jac, obviously, had a good day at the plate. Cade (Kurland) had a couple of hits. When those guys start going our offense, obviously, is a lot better and our best players performed really well today.” 3. Will LSU pitch Paul Skenes? In two starts he has thrown 243 pitches. He is a real freak who will be the first pitcher taken in the Major League Baseball Draft, but it’s asking a lot for three starts in 10 days, particularly since the second start was just three days ago. If he starts, it’s hard to imagine that he’ll have the same velocity and same movement on the ball and that should play into the Gators’ hands. Also, if Skenes starts, how long can he go? This will be LSU’s eighth game in 11 days and their seventh in the last eight, so how much pitching will the Tigers be able to count on? 4. Since losing game three at Texas A&M back on May 7, the Gators are 17-4 and have not suffered back-to-back losses. That tells you this team puts losses behind them and plays with incredible focus the next time out. By the numbers: Caglianone hit his 32nd and 33rd homers of the season, giving him the individual NCAA championship in that category. With his five RBI, Caglianone has 90 on the season, breaking a tie with Preston Tucker for the single season category … Langford became one of three Gators to have back-to-back 20-homer seasons with his three-run job in the sixth. Langford owns the two longest homers in Charles Schwab Park history, a 456-foot homer against Virginia and Sunday’s 449-footer against LSU. With his 5-5 effort at the plate, Langford has a .498 on-base percentage for the season … Of the 29 home runs hit in this year’s College World Series, 13 have been launched by the Gators … Not only did the Gators set a College World Series record for runs scored in a single game, UF became the first team in this year’s series to score more than seven runs in a game. Big weekend for Tim Walton and UF softball The Florida softball program doesn’t need to be rebuilt. Tim Walton has built a program that was, is and will be among the best in the nation, but the 2023 season made it abundantly clear that some tweaking is necessary. Since the season ended, four have transferred out, seven have exhausted their eligibility and Walton has had to dismiss his pitching coach. A recruiting class that some call one for the ages will go a long way toward a roster overhaul, but now the tweaking has begun. Over the weekend, Walton hired Chelsey Dobbins from North Carolina as his new pitching coach and he landed one of the top players in the transfer portal in All-American center fielder Korbe Otis from Louisville’s nationally prominent program. Dobbins has spent the last eight seasons handling the pitching while serving as the associate head coach at UNC. A graduate of Oklahoma State, Dobbins worked as a grad assistant at Louisiana-Monroe, pitching coach at Marshall and Cal Poly prior to taking the job at UNC. Otis, a major in molecular, cellular and developmental biology, has plans to become a surgeon when her softball playing days are over. She comes to UF with two years of eligibility remaining after two outstanding seasons in the outfield at Louisville. She hit .414 in 2023 with eight doubles, seven triples, 10 home runs and 43 RBI. She stole 23 bases in 24 attempts. She had an on-base streak of 35 consecutive games. She was All-ACC freshman in 2022 when she hit .289 with five homers, 10 doubles and 30 RBI. 2024 UF softball roster as of June 26, 2023 Returning: Baylee Goddard, OF (RSR); Avery Goelz 1B/OF (SR); Skylar Wallace SS (RSR); Emily Wilkie C (SR); Katie Kistler OF (SR); Kendra Falby OF (JR); Reagan Walsh 2B (JR); Kaila Pollard INF/OF (SO) Incoming freshmen: Keagan Rothrock, P/1B; Ava Brown P/1B; Mia Williams INF; Alyssa Hovermale, INF; Ariel Kowalewski, C/1B; Cassidy McClellan, OF Transfer: Korbe Otis, OF (Jr., from Louisville) Trinity Thomas, Jasmine Moore at the Honda Sports Awards It could be a very big night at the Honda Sports Awards in Los Angeles for a pair of Gators. Trinity Thomas, a repeat winner of the Honda Sports Award for gymnastics, and Jasmine Moore, a finalist for the Bowerman Trophy and winner of the Honda Sports Award for track and field, will be among the women representing 12 sports who will have a chance to win the Honda Cup as the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. Lauren Haeger (2015) and Thomas (last year) were finalists for the Honda Cup. UF swimmer Tracy Caulkins (1983-84) won the award when it was named the Broderick Cup. Thomas seems to be a shoo-in to make the final three and it wouldn’t be surprising if she is the winner after a year in which she tied the all-time NCAA record for 10s (28) with a stuck landing for a perfect score on the vault in the championship finals. Thomas won the SEC Gymnast of the Year three times and was named College Gym News Gymnast of the Year. ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: When the Miami Heat lost to the Denver Nuggets for the NBA championship, Udonis Haslem’s 20-year career came to an end. An undrafted free agent out of Florida in 2002, UD spent a year in France where he averaged 16.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. More importantly, he trimmed 80 pounds off what had been a 300-pound body. Instead of a pudgy UD, he became what others in the NBA call a man’s man. He made the NBA’s All-Rookie second team in 2003 and went on to win three championship rings (2006 2012, 2013). It was the 2006 NBA championship series with Dallas that Haslem showed his worth to the team. This is what Hall of Famer Dwayne Wade told Sports Illustrated about his teammate in that series: “In the 2006 Finals, he was incredible. Especially with the kids, everybody wants to do the sexy stuff. They want to do the stuff that gets the highlights, gets people talking about you, gets your name written up. That‘s what I did. I did the sexy stuff. I scored 30. I dunked on people, I did all that. But Udonis did the stuff that’s not sexy. The stuff that no one wants to do. The extra effort. You guard the best player, but you may only get one or two shots. You may touch the ball one or two times, but I need you to run this pick-and-roll and make sure I get open. He did all the stuff no one signs up for, and he did it in such a fashion that we could feel the importance of it. “Of course, we had Shaq [O’Neal], we had GP [Gary Payton], we had Toine [Antoine Walker], but when it came down to it, the Udonis Haslems of the world are the reason we won the championship. Guarding Dirk [Nowitzki], a guy that can get 20 to 30 shots off wherever he wants? That’s tough, mentally and physically. UD was up for the challenge, and he never complained.” In this all about me time in sports, Udonis Haslem qualifies as the ultimate warrior. He spent 20 years with the Heat and never complained. He was the indispensable man for the team. How indispensable? When the Heat were in the process of signing Chris Bosh and LeBron James, who helped them win back-to-back championships (2011-12), Wade got the stars on the team to slough off money from their contracts to make sure Haslem didn’t sign with another team. That’s respect, respect that was earned by being a warrior and the teammate who always had everybody’s back. And so a basketball playing career comes to an end. Udonis Haslem was the tough guy in the middle who got the Gators to the NCAA championship game in 2000. He spent 20 years as a guy who did his job and never complained. There is something to be said about it. I think a lot of today’s entitled athletes could learn a lot about Udonis Haslem.

Ty Evans has been channeling his inner Reggie Jackson since arriving in Omaha. They used to call Reggie “Mr. October” the way he seemed to own the big stage of the World Series when he was playing for the New York Yankees. Since arriving at the College World Series in Omaha 10 days ago, Ty Evans has been “Mr. June” with four home runs, two doubles and eight RBI in five games. Evans left the yard twice Sunday afternoon, just when the Florida Gators (54-16) needed him most. A prodigious 424-foot solo homer that sailed over the top of the left field foul pole and a third inning grand slam got the Gators going on a record-setting 24-4 rout of LSU (53-17) in game two of the CWS best-of-three championship series. The two teams will face off Monday night with the winner taking home the NCAA championship trophy. LSU is expected to throw All-American Paul Skenes (13-2), who will be working on three days rest. Florida is expected to go with Jac Caglianone (7-3), who went 4-1/3 innings against TCU back on Wednesday. Florida’s 24 runs were the most ever in a College World Series game and the 23 hits tied the record. Evans’ two home runs were part of a 6-homer effort as the Gators scored at least two runs off each of LSU’s six pitchers. The Gators were long overdue for a breakout game at the plate after four consecutive 1-run games including a 4-3 loss to LSU in 11 innings Saturday night. In the previous four games, the Gators managed only 17 runs. The Gators exceeded that total in the eighth inning. Best yet, the Gators saved their bullpen. Because it was an elimination game for UF, it was expected to be an all-hands on deck for the pitching staff. The way Hurston Waldrep struggled with his location in 2-1/3 innings in which he threw 85 pitches, it looked like Kevin O’Sullivan might need every single pitcher he had to even have a chance at getting to a game three, but Blake Purnell and Nick Ficarrotta were nails out of the bullpen. Coming into the game with the bases loaded in the third, Purnell got LSU’s Tommy White, the nation’s RBI leader, to hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. He got a double play in the fourth as well as part of 1-2/3 innings of shutout ball. Ficarotta went five full innings, allowing three hits while striking out two. He didn’t give up a run until Brayden Jobert hit a meaningless home run with two outs in the ninth. It was Evans who got the Gators going. When he came to the plate in the second inning, LSU starter Nate Ackenhausen had struck out four consecutive hitters. On the heels of a night when Florida hitters struck out 20 times in 11 innings, this had the feel of a more of the same kind of game. Evans turned on an 0-1 pitch and the only question was going to be fair or foul. The ball sailed over the foul pole and landed fair 424 feet away. That tied the game at 1-1 and was a wakeup call for the Florida bats. LSU answered with a pair of runs to take a 3-1 lead, but the stage had already been set for Mr. June. The third began when Cade Kurland was hit by a pitch. Singles by Wyatt Langford and Caglianone made it a 3-2 game. A Josh Rivera single tied it at 3-3. When Luke Heyman reached on an error, the bases were loaded with two out for Evans to go yard again. The first pitch Evans saw was another high drive down the left field line and once again the question was fair or foul. The wind blew left to right, the ball went fair and it was a grand slam for a 7-3 Florida lead. When LSU loaded the bases off Hurston Waldrep in the bottom of the third, this seemed like a slow pitch softball score in the making, but O’Sullivan brought in Purnell whose sinker was too tough for White to elevate. His grounder to Rivera was routine, resulting in an inning-ending double play. From that moment on, Florida took batting practice off any pitcher LSU threw out there. A Kurland walk, an infield single by Langford and a throwing error added a Florida run for an 8-3 lead in the fourth. Five Florida runs crossed the plate in the sixth when two more balls left the yard. Colby Halter doubled, Kurland was hit by a pitch and Langford unloaded for his second home run of the CWS, his 20th of the season. This one didn’t go as far as the one he hit against Virginia, but his 449-foot blast was the second longest homer in Charles Schwab Park history. The one against Virginia went 456 feet. That brought Caglianone to the plate, still in the hunt for his first home run of the College World Series. On a 1-1 pitch, Caglianone hammered the ball into the seats in left center field to put the Gators up 12-3. It was the 32nd homer of the season for Caglianone and it assured him of the NCAA home run championship for the season. An error, a stolen base and a single up the middle by Tyler Shelnut drove in Rivera with the final run of the inning for a 13-3 lead. In the seventh, Kurland and Langford hit back-to-back doubles to crank up a 2-run inning. Langford moved to third on a passed ball and came home on a ground out by Caglianone. Four more runs crossed the plate in the Florida eighth when Langford hit a 2-run double to drive home Shelnut, who had walked, and Evans, who had singled. Caglianone followed with his second homer of the game to right field, stretching the lead to 19-3. Not to be left out of the home run party, BT Riopelle hit his second home run in two nights with a long ball that left the yard in dead center field. That gave the Gators an impressive 20-3 lead but there was more to come. Shelnut, who had singled, scored on an error after a single to right by pinch-hitter Matt Prevesk. Prevesk and Michael Robertson scored on a single by pinch-hitter Derek Fabian to finish off the scoring. This is the kind of day it was for the Gators at the plate. Leadoff hitter Kurland was hit by a pitch twice, walked once and had a single and a double while scoring four times. Langford was 5-5 with two singles, two doubles, his 20th home run and six RBI. Caglianone was 3-5 with his 32nd and 33rd homers and five RBI. Rivera had two hits and an RBI. Riopelle hit a single and his 19th homer of the year. Tyler Shelnut had two singles and an RBI. Evans went 3-5 with five RBI. Halter hit a double and had an RBI single. Waldrep struggled with the strike zone. In his 2-1/3 innings, he gave up four hits, six walks, hit two batters and threw a wild pitch before leaving the game with the Gators trailing 3-1. The Gators went the rest of the way with Purnell and Nick Ficarrotta, who shut down the Tigers in the final 6-2/3. Getting the win was Purnell (2-0), who hadn’t pitched since the SEC Tournament back in May. Ficarrotta’s last outing was two innings against UConn in the Gainesville Regional after the game was all but over.

Kyle Curtis is reporting from the College Baseball World Series in Omaha.

http://wix.to/Daa3WRm?ref=2_m_cl Click link ☝️

Gator fans have only had 15 minutes to bemoan a brutal 5-4 loss and get their Dobbers back up for their “win or go home” game two of the finals. So I’ll make this quick. Sometimes the putts don’t go in or the shot rims out or the football takes a weird bounce. That’s when you know this is not going to be your day. For all practical purposes, Wyatt Langford’s 112 mph blast to field with two men on in the bottom of the ninth with one out was The Walk-Off HR That Wasn’t. Somehow LSU left fielder Josh Pearson , stationed perfectly, speared the Langford laser at just the right moment without it ripping off his arm. No better than Mikey Robertson’s game-saving grab vs. TCU, perhaps, but due credit as a clutch play in a phenomenal baseball game. Here’s how Kevin O’Sullivan summed it up so succinctly: “In games like this it comes down to one at-bat, one pitch. They walked two guys in 11 innings. We walked eight. And it’s part of it. It wasn’t our best night, but we played 11 innings and lost by a pitch on a 1-0 count. "And we didn’t play our best baseball, but the message tomorrow is, you know, we’ve got nothing to lose at this point. We’re in the College World Series and playing in the Finals. We lost by a run. Everybody’s disappointed, but we can’t let this leak into tomorrow.” As I tweeted after the game: “Tremendous game, but this one hurt for all Gators. It just wasn’t their night. Another one-run game. But they live to fight another day." That "Another Day" Is here😜

If you could hear the spirit humming in the Omaha air today, you would unmistakably recognize the heartbeats of a true, unwavering Gator fan - my mother. Every time a team donned the orange and blue, regardless of the sport. Mom and Dad (Buddy Martin) shared their love for the Gators from the very beginning. Their love born and bred in Gainesville many years ago, was as much a part of their lives as the air they breathed. At 3:00 today, we are up for another heart-stopping showdown. Our Gators are taking on the LSU Tigers in the decisive game of the College Baseball World Series Championship. Yesterday was tough. The game took an emotional toll on us. We held our breath, hoping for a turnaround that didn't come. Yet, we are Gators. We may stumble, but we never back down. This climactic game represents more than just a championship. It symbolizes the indomitable spirit of Gator fans like my mother, whose passion and support for our teams knew no bounds. She loved our Gators, and today, as the baseball team steps onto that field, I know they will feel her presence, her faith in them, and her love for the Gator Nation. Today, our Gators need to rise once more with resilience, fervor, and unwavering determination. They must remember what they're playing for - the pride of the orange and blue, and the unfading trust of fans like my mom who believed in them through every game, every sport, every season. It's about more than just winning the game; it's about honoring her belief and her spirit. In a few minutes we face off against the LSU Tigers, our long-standing hated rivals. As our Gators step on the diamond, they carry with them the dreams and hopes of thousands of fans and the undying spirit of my mother, the eternal Gator fan. "Come on boy" as she would scream, play for her, for us, for every Gator that ever roared in support of the orange and blue. So, Gators, channel that undying spirit and tap into the essence of what it means to be part of the Gator Nation. Let's bring this championship home. Let's win this one for her, win this one for us, win this one for the Gator Nation. All for the Gators!!!!!!. Here's to my mom. Let's win this one!