Gators Rely On Superb Pitching For CWS Return

SEE ALSO: Super Regional Scoreboard

GAINESVILLE, Fla.—The Gainesville Super Regional started with an upset, as Florida State, led by righthander Drew Carlton, controlled Game 1 on Saturday against host Florida, the No. 1 national seed. It ended Monday with a pile of jubilant Gators, fittingly celebrating just behind the pitcher’s mound, from which they had regained the upper hand in the series and booked a return trip to the College World Series.

After losing the first game, 3-0, Florida won Game 2, 5-0, to force Monday’s decisive Game 3. The Gators finished off the series with a 7-0 victory to advance to Omaha for the second straight season and fifth time in seven years. You can watch highlights here.

“I just couldn’t be more proud of the way (Florida) played,” coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “Obviously, we lost a tough one on Saturday night, and to come back and throw two shutouts, that’s very, very hard to do.”

Though the Gators were facing elimination for the first time this season after sweeping through regionals, center fielder Buddy Reed said they never felt as though their backs were against the wall.

“We’re the No. 1 team in the country for a reason,” Reed said. “If you look at our record, we’re 52-14, so that pretty much speaks for itself. We play to win every game. If we lose one, so what, and obviously in this situation we lost the first, so we had to come back and win two. The message was let loose, play hard and have fun. Don’t take it for granted and just go out there and do your best.”

After falling behind in the series, Florida fell back on its superb pitching staff to fight back against Florida State. The Gators didn’t allow a run in the final 22 innings of the series, silencing a potent offense. The Seminoles came into super regionals averaging 10.6 runs per game during the postseason.

But run prevention has been Florida’s forte all season long. The Gators had six pitchers drafted in the top 10 rounds this year, including All-American righthander Logan Shore and lefthander A.J. Puk, the sixth overall pick. Sophomore righthander Alex Faedo, Florida’s Game 1 starter, is a likely first-round pick next year. And though none of Florida’s freshmen pitchers were called upon in the series, the Gators’ second-ranked recruiting class included several high profile pitchers who have a chance to develop into early-round draft picks in 2018.

Florida and Florida State played six times this season, giving Seminoles coach Mike Martin plenty of opportunities to see the full array of arms O’Sullivan has at his disposal.

“I don’t know if I’ve (ever) seen a stronger pitching staff,” he said.

Going into Monday’s game, O’Sullivan said he felt good knowing the Gators would start with Puk and then have righthander Dane Dunning (the 29th overall pick) and closer Shaun Anderson (the 88th overall pick) behind him, with lefthander Kirby Snead (a 10th-round pick) ready to face a lefthanded hitter in a tight spot.

Game 3 played out in almost exactly that fashion, only Florida never had to call on Snead. The trio of Puk, Dunning and Anderson proved to be sufficient.

“I felt good about it,” O’Sullivan said. “But—bottom line—players have to go out there and perform.”

Puk did not have his best command Monday, walking six batters and hitting another in 3 2/3 innings. But he was able to work out of trouble, limiting Florida State to one hit and striking out six.

Puk’s slider was particularly tough on the Seminoles, and he wasn’t afraid to go to it in big situations. Florida State stranded five runners in the first two innings, including leaving the bases loaded in the second.

“I thought when Puk hit with his (slider), he really got himself going,” Martin said. “He was struggling a little bit, we got the bases loaded, and all of the sudden he throws three very good breaking balls.”

But Puk’s control problems eventually led to an early call to the bullpen. Dunning entered and threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out five and scattering four hits and no walks. He said his ability to throw his secondary pitches for strikes was key Monday, and they helped him create weak contact throughout the game.

After the way Florida finished the series, Dunning said the pitchers are feeling good going into the CWS.

“I think it gives our pitching staff a lot of confidence just knowing that we may have times when we don’t pitch as well, but the next day we can come out and do what we do,” he said. “It helps us.”

While Florida’s pitching staff showed its ability Monday, its offense also flexed its muscles. The Gators scratched out a run in the firs to take an early lead, and Peter Alonso blasted his fourth home run of the NCAA tournament in the third inning to extend the advantage to 2-0.

Florida then broke the game open in the fifth. Facing righthander Jim Voyles, Florida State’s top reliever, Florida loaded the bases with no outs for cleanup hitter J.J. Schwarz. Voyles hung a slider to Schwarz, who drove it deep into the left field bleachers for a grand slam.

Schwarz said he was prepared for Voyles to throw him a breaking ball.

“I knew he was going to throw a slider eventually just because we had a scouting report on him,” Schwarz said. “I got one over the plate and one that I liked, and I just put a swing on it.”

Schwarz’s grand slam gave Florida a commanding lead, and it gave Florida State no opportunity to get back into the game in the final four innings.

The Gators will now travel to Omaha with their eyes locked on their ultimate goal of winning a national championship. O’Sullivan said they have talked about winning a title, which would be the first in program history, from day one.
Florida came close last year, its season ending one victory shy of reaching the championship series. That experience left the Gators hungry for more.

The Gators know it won’t be easy in Omaha. But they also know that if they play to their ability, they have what it takes to achieve their goals.

“I think the last six innings we were really good today,” O’Sullivan said. “The first three innings we weren’t very good. We’ve got to kind of learn from those mistakes and I think if we can play in Omaha like we played the last six innings or the way we played on Sunday, then we’ve got as good a chance as anybody.”