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Florida Gators
GAINESVILLE — Cade Fisher pitched seven innings with six strikeouts, Wyatt Langford and Tyler Shelnut each had two RBIs and Florida beat Texas Tech 7-1 Sunday night to avoid elimination at the Gainesville Regional.
Florida (47-15), which lost 5-4 to the Red Raiders in the winner's bracket on Saturday night, forced a decisive rematch with Texas Tech on Monday for the regional title and a trip to the super regionals.
The Gators beat UConn 8-2 in a loser-out game earlier Sunday.
Fisher (6-0) gave up one run on five hits — and hit two batters with pitches — for Florida and Brandon Neely pitched two scoreless innings of relief to earn his 12th save of the season. Hurston Waldrep (8-3) allowed one run on five hits with 12 strikeouts against UConn before Nick Ficarrotta came on in the eighth and allowed one run in two innings while striking out five.
"Cade was outstanding," Florida head coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "The same thing can be said about Hurston. We wouldn't be in this position to have enough pitching for (Monday) if we didn't get those two starts. We're in good shape. I know you're going to ask me who is going to start. I don't know yet. But we've got options. We've got a bunch of guys that have pitched in big-level situations that will be available."
Richie Schiekofer led off the sixth inning against Texas Tech with a single and advanced to third base when Cade Kurland followed with a double, but both were thrown out at home on a 5-2-6-3-2 double play as Langford reached and moved to second base on a fielder's choice. Jac Caglianone hit an RBI single, stole second and scored on an infield single by Josh Rivera and, after BT Riopelle and Luke Heyman each drew a walk, Shelnut hit a two-run single to make it 4-0.
Will Burns led off the bottom of the eighth with a double, Nolen Hester followed with a bunt single and Burns scored on a sacrifice fly Kevin Bazzellto get Texas Tech (41-22) on the board.
Langford capped Florida's three-run ninth with a two-RBI double down the line in left.
Caglianone also hit two home runs, driving in five runs, in Florida's win over UConn earlier in the day. His three-run home run in the fourth inning gave the Gators a 5-1 lead. Waldrep continued to dominate the Huskies and left with a 6-1 lead through seven innings. Caglianone added a two-run home run in the eighth.
Shelnut went 2 for 3 and scored twice for the Gators. Wyatt Langford went 0 for 3 but was credited with two RBIs, on a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly.
Ben Huber went 3 for 4 for Connecticut (44-17-1).