Job not finished: Florida one win away from advancing to super regional

Florida got revenge against Texas Tech on Sunday, but now a third and final game between the two clubs is set for Monday at noon to decide the winner of the Gainesville Regional.

After falling to the loser’s bracket of the Gainesville Regional, the big question for Florida was who would start a fourth game for the Gators, if necessary.

Following the afternoon win over Connecticut, Kevin O’Sullivan quickly named freshman left-hander Cade Fisher the starter. Fisher had made only one start all year but was a valuable piece of the bullpen all year long, serving as the team’s No. 2 left-handed reliever.

He probably won’t be in the bullpen next year, though. Fisher went seven innings strong, striking out six and allowing just one earned run on five hits and no walks. It’s the first time in his collegiate career that Fisher has gone more than four innings and it came at a crucial time for the Gators.

Brandon Neely secured his 12th save of the season through two innings of relief. Two runners got into scoring position against him in the ninth, but a strikeout against Will Burns ended the 7-1 contest.

Florida’s bats were much hotter than the box score might suggest. A couple of balls were rocketed to the warning track but knocked down by the wind. Texas Tech starter Zane Petty worked his way out of a few early jams, but Richie Schiekofer’s leadoff single in the sixth ended up being trouble.

Cade Kurland sent a ball to center field that the Red Raiders lost, resulting on men on the corners for Wyatt Langford. The future first-round draft pick hit a ground ball to shortstop, but Schiekofer got caught taking off for home. Langford tried to get in a pickle between first and second to score Kurland, but he was tagged at home as well. Disaster.

Fortunately, Jac Caglianone laced a ball to right field and scored Langford, who has shown off some plus speed during regionals. That’s when things fell apart completely for Texas Tech. Another run came in on a Josh Rivera single to third that ended up being thrown away. Following seven-straight balls and two walks, Tyler Shelnut broke things open with a single to left that scored two.

Florida didn’t do much else until the top of the ninth when a throwing error by the catcher scored Michael Robertson, who pinch-ran for Shelnut. Langford doubled in two more to make it 7-1 and secure the win.

The Red Raiders did score once in the bottom of the eighth but Fisher and Neely shut them down with runners on base, for the most part.

The win sets up a third and final game between Florid and Texas Tech at noon EDT. Both teams are running short on arms, but Florida has played a full nine innings more than Texas Tech over the weekend.

Kevin O’Sullivan said that everyone aside from Brandon Sproat, Hurston Waldrep and Fisher are available tomorrow, which could mean Caglianone getting another start. Tyler Nesbitt and true freshman Yoel Tejeda Jr. are also options.

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