Notes from Omaha: Gators return to practice, will keep close eye on Vandy-North Carolina game
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 | Baseball, Scott Carter
OMAHA, Neb. – The Gators practiced at Creighton University on Wednesday to remain in their normal routine as they prepare for their next game on Friday.
Florida's opponent will be the winner of tonight's elimination game between Vanderbilt and North Carolina (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
I'm catching up with Gators outfielder Preston Tucker after practice for a feature story on GatorZone.com. Tucker has been exceptional in the NCAA Tournament, including a three-run homer off Vanderbilt's Grayson Garvin on Monday that lifted Florida to a 3-1 win over the Commodores on Tuesday when the suspended game was completed.
In eight tournament games, Tucker is 12-for-33 (.364) with six doubles, five home runs and 18 RBIs.
To keep you plugged into what's going on here in Omaha here are some notes and nuggets:
---The CWS won't be the last trip to Omaha for the Florida trio of SS Nolan Fontana, C Mike Zunino and P/DH Brian Johnson. The three Gators are on USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team that reported to Keene, N.H., for training camp on Tuesday.
Once the Gators are finished in Omaha, Fontana, Zunino and Johnson are scheduled to join the team for a summer tour that concludes with a five-game series against Japan. The final game will be played at TD Ameritrade Park on July 8.
---Former Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt, who is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, stayed at the Gators' hotel while in town to sign autographs at the CWS Fan Fest.
Schmidt played in the CWS in 1970 when he was in college at Ohio University. Asked by the Omaha World-Herald if he has any rooting interests in this year's CWS, he hinted that he has become a Gator fan.
“I don't have a favorite other than that I do live in Florida and the Gators are here,'' he said. “That probably would be the only attachment I have to the Series, really.''
---The highlight of Monday night's nearly three-hour weather delay was an imaginary baseball game played on the infield tarp by the TD Ameritrade Park grounds crew.
The few thousand fans that remained inside the ballpark until the Florida-Vanderbilt game was called seemed to enjoy the show. Turf manager Don Blank reportedly did not.
During a press conference Tuesday afternoon, NCAA Vice President of Baseball Dennis Poppe added a voice of reason.
“This may not be the normal NCAA response, but I kind of liked it,'' he said. “Normally, we like it prim and proper and by the book, and there's certainly an amount of professionalism. But I tell you what, it was a little tight down there. They were doing the job and having fun.''
---The Omaha World-Herald is doing a nice job of covering the CWS, publishing a special section each day devoted to the event.
Based on a note in Wednesday's edition, the paper's writers like what they have seen from the Gators.
“We have to agree with [Vanderbilt coach Tim] Corbin when he says that there is not much difference between the teams. But Florida has won four of the five games between the teams and, with the way they are playing, the Gators look like a team that will be playing for a championship next week.''
