A season that began with that kind of promise because of Florida’s depth in pitching ended because the Gators simply couldn’t hit enough. The NCAA Tournament selection committee made the Gators the No. 1 national seed, and they appeared to have what it takes to become the first since Miami in 1999 to win the title. Obviously we’re all disappointed right now, but the fact of the matter is we had a hell of year. “And I’m sad to see some of these guys move on. The park, being as big as it is, we’ve got to be able to play small ball, manufacture some runs”.
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In Texas Tech’s first appearance back in 2014 he went 0-for-8 with two strikeouts as the Red Raiders were sent home after the first weekend in a pair of one-run losses to TCU and Ole Miss. But it only set up more heartbreak. The game would be complete when Jonathan India nearly turned a single into a double, getting thrown out by Red Raider left fielder, Tyler Neslony.
“Last year proved to us it was doable”, Florida shortstop Dalton Guthrie said.
“I think it means a lot”. With TCU 3 outs away from being put in the elimination game, they found their offensive groove, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
O’Sullivan said that he would agree with India taking that chance, “100 out of 100 times”.
Alex Faedo (13-3) pitched well enough to win, but for the second consecutive game, the Florida bats didn’t do much damage – until Alonso’s mash to left – and one mistake to Gutierrez and two in the infield were costly. Look for a game that is tied or within one run going into the last two innings, with the decisive factors being relief pitching and finding a way to advance the runners. On the 2-2 pitch Alonso blasted a two-run shot over the left field wall to bring Florida within one and suddenly the rally was on.
Texas Tech got to Faedo in the fourth. When these two teams met during the regular season in Fort Worth, Tech took 2 out of 3 games from the Frogs-The series in Fort Worth, determined who won the Big 12 Regular Season Championship. The most costly came in the sixth inning.
“I thought his stuff was pretty good”, Texas Tech head coach Tim Tadlock said.
JJ Schwarz, who had a 3-0 count go full, tapped a comebacker to Martin, who went home with the ball. On the 3-2 pitch, Schwarz grounded a comebacker to Martin, who started a 1-2-3 double play.
Martin threw home for the first out with catcher Tyler Floyd throwing to first.
“We had some opportunities”, O’Sullivan said. “Got inside the line, veered out again”. India fielded a Gutierrez grounder at third, but his low throw skipped by Alonso at first base. Alonso, the Gators first baseman, bounced a throw to third, which allowed Neslony to score. Michael Landestoy tripled in a run and scored on an error to make it a five-run game in the ninth. The Gators (52-16) went 0-2 at the CWS.
Division I Baseball Committee chairman Joel Erdmann said he wasn’t overly surprised by the eight teams that reached Omaha.
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That’s a heck of a way to lose, but it’s also a heck of a way to win.
