Gators outfielder Wil Dalton reacts after coming up empty at the plate in Sunday's loss to Auburn in the Gainesville Super Regional. (Photo: Bailey LeFever/UAA Communications)
Missed Opportunities Lead to Do-or-Die Game 3 for Gators
Sunday, June 10, 2018 | Baseball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Gators had their opportunities Sunday afternoon, but they couldn't cash in as the Auburn Tigers walked them off in Game 2 of the Gainesville Super Regional.
The teams will play a winner-take-all Game 3 on Monday night at 8.
Tigers (43-22) freshman pitchers Tanner Burns (6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 3 SO) and Cody Greenhill (3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER) weaved their way in and out of trouble, stranding five Gators in scoring position and inducing three double plays.
"Really impressed with how Auburn pitched," UF coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "Both pitchers were freshmen, and they handled the stage extremely well. I felt like we had some opportunities to score. By the fifth inning, I think we were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
"He just seemed like he was making pitches when he needed to. I felt like we were maybe one or two plays away from maybe opening up an inning or two, but he kept battling and made pitches when he needed to."
In the first inning, juniors Nelson Maldonado and Jonathan India drew back-to-back walks, but sophomore Wil Dalton grounded into a 5-4-3 double play to end the threat.
An inning later, sophomore left fielder Austin Langworthy led off with a double to right. He remained there, as Burns retired the next three Gators batters.
In the third, Maldonado walked and India laced a single to left to put two on with two outs for Dalton, but once again Dalton couldn't come through.
"The mentality every game is to get the defense back in the dugout as quick as I can," Burns said. "Good things happen when the defense is in the dugout."
Florida (46-19) finally capitalized in the fourth to take a 1-0 lead when senior center fielder Nick Horvath doubled down the left-field line to score a hustling Blake Reese all the way from first.
With the game tied 1-1 in the eighth, UF had a golden opportunity to seize control of the game. Junior shortstop Deacon Liput opened the frame with a single, stole second with one out and advanced to third on a throwing error by Auburn catcher Brett Wright. Up stepped India, the SEC Player of the Year and first-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Reds.
With the Tigers infield drawn in, India grounded a ball sharply at Auburn shortstop Will Holland. Holland fired to the plate, and, after a rundown, Liput was tagged out. India took second on the play but was stranded when Dalton popped out to second.
On the mound, Gators junior Jackson Kowar was masterful in his final home start. The first-round draft selection of the Kansas City Royals (No. 33 overall) threw seven innings, gave up just three hits and one run and struck out six.
"As a starting pitcher, any time you keep your team in the ballgame, that's pretty much the objective," he said. "I knew their guy was throwing up a bunch of zeroes, so I had to match him and keep us in the game, obviously."
Kowar carried a perfect game into the fourth inning before making his only mistake. He left a pitch up in the zone, and Tigers right fielder Steven Williams deposited it into the bullpen in right-center field to tie the game 1-1.
The final two innings saw multiple momentum swings.
Freshman lefty Jordan Butler (6-2) replaced Kowar in the eighth and struck out the first batter he faced. However, Auburn first baseman Josh Anthony singled, and Holland blasted a double to give his team the 2-1 lead.
Down to its final three outs and with storm clouds drawing near, Florida got the spark it needed. Langworthy smashed a towering home run to right field off Greenhill (6-2) to tie the game 2-2. On the very next pitch, Reese went the opposite way and hit a deep shot to left. However, Tigers left fielder Judd Ward caught the ball just in front of the wall to quiet the hysteric crowd of 4,537.
After walking the leadoff batter and falling behind 2-1 to Auburn slugger Edouard Julien, Butler (1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER) was removed in favor of junior closer Michael Byrne.
"I felt like if we're going to lose a game, I'd like to have it with Michael on the mound, simple as that," O'Sullivan said.
The move paid off, at least initially. Byrne struck out Julien on two pitches. However, he then conceded a single to Tigers center fielder Jay Estes. On the next pitch, Auburn second baseman Luke Jarvis launched an elevated fastball into the left-center gap to record the first super regional win in program history and force the decisive game Monday.
UF must now regroup, refocus and turn the page to Game 3, something it did well in a similar situation in the 2017 super regional. In that one, the Gators took Game 1 from Wake Forest and were walked off on their own field in the second game. In Game 3, they leaned on then-freshman Tyler Dyson to throw five innings and pulled out the victory on the way to the program's first national championship.
"I think this group is resilient," Kowar said. "I think we're going to be able to handle the adversity really well. I'm definitely excited to get back to work tomorrow."
Like a year ago, Florida will depend on freshmen on the mound. O'Sullivan said he will "probably" start freshman Jack Leftwich because he takes longer to warm up than fellow freshman Tommy Mace. Mace, however, will have a role.
"They're not freshmen anymore," he said. "They've been through the SEC. Both Jack and Tommy have pitched in high-leverage situations, so it comes down to locating and executing."
Auburn coach Butch Thompson announced following Sunday's game that redshirt senior lefty Andrew Mitchell will start for his squad. The Gators roughed up Mitchell for four runs in three innings in his start April 28.
"I feel good because of the way he's thrown the baseball recently," Thompson said. "He's had some good outings for us."
Said O'Sullivan: "It comes down to one game. We've been here before, and hopefully we'll feed off that experience."
The Gators had their opportunities to finish off the Tigers and celebrate with a dogpile, but they couldn't take advantage. Now, they only have one opportunity left.
Win or stay home.
The teams will play a winner-take-all Game 3 on Monday night at 8.
Tigers (43-22) freshman pitchers Tanner Burns (6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 3 SO) and Cody Greenhill (3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER) weaved their way in and out of trouble, stranding five Gators in scoring position and inducing three double plays.
"Really impressed with how Auburn pitched," UF coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "Both pitchers were freshmen, and they handled the stage extremely well. I felt like we had some opportunities to score. By the fifth inning, I think we were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
"He just seemed like he was making pitches when he needed to. I felt like we were maybe one or two plays away from maybe opening up an inning or two, but he kept battling and made pitches when he needed to."
In the first inning, juniors Nelson Maldonado and Jonathan India drew back-to-back walks, but sophomore Wil Dalton grounded into a 5-4-3 double play to end the threat.
An inning later, sophomore left fielder Austin Langworthy led off with a double to right. He remained there, as Burns retired the next three Gators batters.
In the third, Maldonado walked and India laced a single to left to put two on with two outs for Dalton, but once again Dalton couldn't come through.
"The mentality every game is to get the defense back in the dugout as quick as I can," Burns said. "Good things happen when the defense is in the dugout."
Florida (46-19) finally capitalized in the fourth to take a 1-0 lead when senior center fielder Nick Horvath doubled down the left-field line to score a hustling Blake Reese all the way from first.
With the game tied 1-1 in the eighth, UF had a golden opportunity to seize control of the game. Junior shortstop Deacon Liput opened the frame with a single, stole second with one out and advanced to third on a throwing error by Auburn catcher Brett Wright. Up stepped India, the SEC Player of the Year and first-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Reds.
With the Tigers infield drawn in, India grounded a ball sharply at Auburn shortstop Will Holland. Holland fired to the plate, and, after a rundown, Liput was tagged out. India took second on the play but was stranded when Dalton popped out to second.
On the mound, Gators junior Jackson Kowar was masterful in his final home start. The first-round draft selection of the Kansas City Royals (No. 33 overall) threw seven innings, gave up just three hits and one run and struck out six.
"As a starting pitcher, any time you keep your team in the ballgame, that's pretty much the objective," he said. "I knew their guy was throwing up a bunch of zeroes, so I had to match him and keep us in the game, obviously."
Kowar carried a perfect game into the fourth inning before making his only mistake. He left a pitch up in the zone, and Tigers right fielder Steven Williams deposited it into the bullpen in right-center field to tie the game 1-1.
The final two innings saw multiple momentum swings.
Freshman lefty Jordan Butler (6-2) replaced Kowar in the eighth and struck out the first batter he faced. However, Auburn first baseman Josh Anthony singled, and Holland blasted a double to give his team the 2-1 lead.
Down to its final three outs and with storm clouds drawing near, Florida got the spark it needed. Langworthy smashed a towering home run to right field off Greenhill (6-2) to tie the game 2-2. On the very next pitch, Reese went the opposite way and hit a deep shot to left. However, Tigers left fielder Judd Ward caught the ball just in front of the wall to quiet the hysteric crowd of 4,537.
After walking the leadoff batter and falling behind 2-1 to Auburn slugger Edouard Julien, Butler (1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER) was removed in favor of junior closer Michael Byrne.
"I felt like if we're going to lose a game, I'd like to have it with Michael on the mound, simple as that," O'Sullivan said.
The move paid off, at least initially. Byrne struck out Julien on two pitches. However, he then conceded a single to Tigers center fielder Jay Estes. On the next pitch, Auburn second baseman Luke Jarvis launched an elevated fastball into the left-center gap to record the first super regional win in program history and force the decisive game Monday.
UF must now regroup, refocus and turn the page to Game 3, something it did well in a similar situation in the 2017 super regional. In that one, the Gators took Game 1 from Wake Forest and were walked off on their own field in the second game. In Game 3, they leaned on then-freshman Tyler Dyson to throw five innings and pulled out the victory on the way to the program's first national championship.
"I think this group is resilient," Kowar said. "I think we're going to be able to handle the adversity really well. I'm definitely excited to get back to work tomorrow."
Like a year ago, Florida will depend on freshmen on the mound. O'Sullivan said he will "probably" start freshman Jack Leftwich because he takes longer to warm up than fellow freshman Tommy Mace. Mace, however, will have a role.
"They're not freshmen anymore," he said. "They've been through the SEC. Both Jack and Tommy have pitched in high-leverage situations, so it comes down to locating and executing."
Auburn coach Butch Thompson announced following Sunday's game that redshirt senior lefty Andrew Mitchell will start for his squad. The Gators roughed up Mitchell for four runs in three innings in his start April 28.
"I feel good because of the way he's thrown the baseball recently," Thompson said. "He's had some good outings for us."
Said O'Sullivan: "It comes down to one game. We've been here before, and hopefully we'll feed off that experience."
The Gators had their opportunities to finish off the Tigers and celebrate with a dogpile, but they couldn't take advantage. Now, they only have one opportunity left.
Win or stay home.
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