Florida wins Gainesville Super Regional, advances to College World Series

Revenge is sweet. After being swept by South Carolina in the regular season, Florida goes 2-0 in the Super Regionals to return to the College World Series.

The Florida Gators are headed to the College World Series for the first time since 2018 after defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks, 4-0, and winning the Gainesville Regional in two games.

Hurston Waldrep dominated for scoreless eight innings, giving up just three hits and striking out 13 along the way. He came back out for the ninth and nearly made a web gem by barehanding a weak chopper back to the mound, but his throw was just late, which force Kevin O’Sullivan to make a move.

It was evident how badly Waldrep wanted to close out the game, but at 117 pitches and no outs on the board, pulling him was the only option. Sully has to protect Waldrep from himself in this scenario, and the future first-rounder will be thankful for it at some point. Not to mention, Waldrep will need to make some more magic happen in the World Series.

“Actually, BT did,” Waldrep said when asked if he had to convince Sully to bring him back out for the ninth. “He asked me if I wanted to go back out, and I said ‘absolutely.’ I’m not turning that down.”

If Waldrep’s splitter is anything like it was tonight, Florida is an even more serious threat to win it all. Funny enough, Waldrep said he had one of the worst bullpens of his life before the game. Something clicked, though, and he delivered an all-time performance for the Gators.

Brandon Neely closed out the game, which is poetic in a way since he wasn’t able to participate in the regular-season series after being ejected at the end of a game against Georgia. Neely didn’t blink and retired the ‘Cocks in order, inducing a pop-up to Cade Kurland at second base to close it out.

Waldrep got a Gatorade bath, the team ran around the backstop high-fiving the fans, and Sully smiled. What more can you ask for as a Gators fan?

As good as Waldrep was, Colby Halter deserves at least a share of the spotlight. Florida’s everyday third baseman hadn’t driven in a run since May 2, but he delivered a trio of RBIs, which was more than enough with an all-time performance taking place on the mound.

Halter’s first (and most important) RBIs came early in the second inning off South Carolina starter Jack Mahoney on a double down the right-field line to score BT Riopelle and Luke Heyman. He added an insurance run in the eighth with a sacrifice fly to bring Riopelle home once again.

Florida’s only other run of the day came on a fifth-inning single from Josh Rivera to score Wyatt Langford from second. Langford didn’t have the best series, but he found a way to contribute when he did get on base with his speed.

Langford is already a draft guy, but he’s flashed the speed tool a few times throughout the postseason, leaving scouts no choice but to notice and check another box.

For the past five years, the goal at Florida has been to get back to the College World Series. Now that the Gators are headed back to Omaha, the goal becomes win it all.

This team has the talent to get it done. An elite pitching staff that has three solid starters at the top with plenty of depth in the bullpen to close things out. The offense has been one of the best in the country all year, especially from a power standpoint, and the Gators proved they can get it done without a ton of help from the top of the order (thanks again, Colby!).

Confidence levels should be at an all-time for this group and its fans, but there’s a fine line between confidence and hubris. A cocky group will be humbled quickly at the World Series. A controlled one will do the humbling.

The College World Series begins June 16.

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