Closer Michael Byrne picked up the win in Florida's 3-2, 11-inning win over Auburn on Monday night by tossing four scoreless innings. (Photo: Kelly Chase/UAA Communications)
Gators Saved By The Byrne
Tuesday, June 12, 2018 | Baseball
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By: Ethan Hughes, FloridaGators.com correspondent
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Austin Langworthy's game-winning, walk-off home run to send the Gators to Omaha will be rewatched, discussed, relived and tweeted about forever. Rightfully so. It was one of the biggest home runs in Florida baseball history.
However, that play wouldn't have happened if not for the stellar performance by junior Michael Byrne, the Gators' closer turned long reliever.
Auburn coach Butch Thompson said Byrne (3-1) was "a huge difference in the game" following his four innings of one-hit, shutout ball with five strikeouts as Florida defeated the Tigers, 3-2, in Game 3 of the Gainesville Super Regional on Monday night.
Given Byrne's steady, quiet and unflashy style, perhaps it's fitting that he would be the most valuable player yet overshadowed by a teammate.
"He just continues to do what he does," Florida coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "He knows who he is, makes big pitches consistently and he was extra special."
Byrne followed freshmen Jack Leftwich and Tommy Mace to the mound, who combined for seven innings and just one earned run allowed. The Tigers had tied the game on a sacrifice fly an inning prior and set UF down in order in the bottom of the inning.
All the momentum was on Auburn's side, and the Tigers hit Byrne hard in Game 2 in a walk-off win of their own.
Michael Byrne tossed four scoreless innings for the win on Monday. (Photo: Kaila Jones/UAA Communications)
This time, Byrne wrestled momentum right back, striking out Auburn's 2, 3 and 4 hitters, all swinging. After the strikeout of Brendan Venter to conclude the inning, the usually calm, composed and focused Byrne was as fired-up as he gets, tapping his glove on his walk back to the dugout.
While the UF offense failed to produce a hit in the eighth and ninth innings, Byrne continued to mow down Tigers and bought time for Langworthy to work his magic.
He struck out two more Auburn batters in the ninth before running into his only trouble of the night in the 10th.
With two outs, Tigers shortstop Will Holland poked one into right field for a single. A wild pitch and walk put two on for Auburn catcher Brett Wright. Byrne got Wright to ground a ball to Jonathan India at third base. India stepped on third for the force out to escape the jam.
"We got him pretty quick [in game two]," Thompson said. "Those were really quick innings there that he was having. We're just off time, balls back to him, fielding balls, really caught in between tonight. I thought he was making great pitches.
"I thought we were ready to make a move. We couldn't get one or two or bunch hits or put anything together offensively."
Byrne said his mindset was simple.
"Just get three outs without them scoring and then get it to our offense."
He threw 49 pitches after combining for 38 in the first two games of the series. The four innings he threw were the most he's thrown in an outing this season and the most since throwing five innings against USF in the 2017 Gainesville Regional.
"He's a starter that's in the back end of the bullpen," O'Sullivan said. "That's what he does. He's got three pitches for strikes, holds runners, fields his position."
O'Sullivan said he didn't know how many pitches he would have let Byrne throw before taking him out. Thanks to Langworthy's heroics, he didn't have to find out.
After Langworthy's home run bounced off Tigers right fielder Steven Williams' glove and over the fence, Byrne carried O'Sullivan part of the way to the bedlam at the plate.
It was a fitting celebration because he carried more than just O'Sullivan on Monday night. He carried his entire team to Omaha.
