Florida shuts out Gamecocks, punches ticket to Omaha

WHAT HAPPENED: Florida is headed to the Faculty World Collection for the primary time since 2018. The Gators capped their sweep of Southeastern Convention rival South Carolina with a 4-0 victory within the best-of-three Gainesville Tremendous Regional at Condron Ballpark on Saturday afternoon. Florida received Recreation 1 on Friday night time, 5-4. In Saturday’s decisive win, third baseman Colby Halter contributed a two-run double and starter Hurston Waldrep was sensational following a 2-hour, 36-minute climate delay previous to the primary pitch.

PLAY OF THE GAME: In a recreation dominated by Waldrep, it was Halter’s two-out double that did the injury offensively. Halter’s drive down the right-field line off Gamecocks starter Jack Mahoney scored BT Riopelle and Luke Heyman. Within the earlier at-bat, Tyler Shelnut confronted a shift left with each South Carolina shortstop Braylen Wimmer and second baseman Michael Braswell anchored on the left aspect of the infield. Braswell fielded what usually would have been a double-play grounder, however with nobody masking second, he threw out Shelnut at first however Riopelle and Heyman superior. That arrange Halter for his largest hit of the season. 

STAGGERING STAT: Waldrep has 25 strikeouts in 15 innings in two NCAA Event begins. He struck out 9 of the ultimate 14 batters he confronted earlier than exiting to a standing ovation with one on, no person out within the backside of the ninth.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Who else? Waldrep, the junior right-hander from Thomasville, Ga.. He transferred to UF within the offseason from Southern Mississippi and was sensational Saturday. Waldrep pitched a career-high eight innings and struck out 13 Gamecocks. Waldrep allowed solely three hits earlier than nearer Brandon Neely got here in to file the ultimate three outs.

KEY MOMENT: Nearly as good as Waldrep was, the Gators added insurance coverage runs within the fifth inning on Josh Rivera’s RBI single and within the eighth on Halter’s RBI sacrifice fly. Halter completed 1-for-2 with three RBI.

HE SAID IT: “This was probably the most superior factor I may ever dream of. This crowd, this staff, that is wonderful. That is what you play faculty baseball for. This is the reason you come to this stage.” – Gators starter Hurson Waldrep following Saturday’s outing

BY THE NUMBERS: 8,851 – Introduced crowd at Condron Ballpark on Saturday, the second consecutive day UF had the biggest on-campus crowd in state faculty baseball historical past; 7,673 – Introduced crowd on Wednesday at loanDepot Park in Miami for the Marlins-Royals recreation; 13 – Faculty World Collection berths for the Gators in program historical past.

UP NEXT: The Gators advance to the Faculty World Collection, the place they’ll open towards the winner of the Virginia-Duke Tremendous Regional after they get to Omaha, Neb. The Virginia-Duke sequence is tied at one recreation apiece.