NCAA GAINESVILLE SUPER REGIONAL   

FLORIDA 8, AUBURN 2

WHAT HAPPENED: The pitching duel between Gators starter Brady Singer and Auburn's Casey Mize ended in Singer's favor after Mize had the edge in the early innings. Singer labored through the first three innings, needing 72 pitches to record his first nine outs. However, Auburn led only 2-0 when Florida came to bat in the bottom of the third. By the end of the inning, the Gators owned a 4-2 lead and Singer, the No. 18 overall pick in Monday's MLB draft, had his second win over Mize, the No. 1 overall pick, in 44 days at McKethan Stadium. Gators outfielder Wil Dalton tied the game with a two-run single off the right-field wall that missed being a grand slam by just a couple of feet. Jonathan India scored the go-ahead run on a slow roller to first base that Auburn's Josh Anthony went home with the throw to try and get India at the plate. Instead, India slid head first to beat the tag of Auburn catcher Brett Wright. Keenan Bell drove in Florida's final run of the inning with an RBI single. The Gators added a pair of runs in the fifth with the help of a couple of Auburn errors and Deacon Liput homered to lead off the sixth for an insurance run. Nelson Maldonado homered in the eighth for Florida's final run.

PLAY OF THE GAME: Dalton's two-run single woke up the crowd and tied the score, setting the stage for what was to come in Florida's fourth win in five games in this year's NCAA Tournament. Mize retired Jonah Girand to lead off the bottom of the third, but he then gave up back-to-back singles to Liput and Maldonado. A walk to India loaded the bases with one out when Dalton stepped up. Dalton drove Mize's 1-1 pitch off the wall in right to start the Gators' four-run outburst.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: In his final home start for the Gators, Singer left to a loud standing ovation after his 119-pitch effort over 6 2/3 innings. Singer allowed four hits, two runs, walked two and struck out nine for his 12th win in 13 decisions this season. Singer's outing started off shaky when he fielded a grounder awkwardly by Steven Williams in the top of the first. Singer then committed a throwing error to allow Williams to advance to second. Once time was called, Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan and trainer Jon Michelini visited the mound to check on Singer. As you may have guessed, Singer stayed in the game for one of the biggest wins of his college career.



STANDOUT STAT: 4 -- That is how many walks Mize issued the Gators. Mize entered the game with only 12 walks in 109 2/3 innings this season and had not walked three batters in a game since his freshman season (May 7, 2016 at Alabama). Mize had never walked four in a college game until Austin Langworthy drew a one-out walk in the fifth and later came around to score on an error. Mize was the headliner in the MLB draft, but he managed only five innings against the Gators, allowing seven hits and six runs.

QUOTE FILE: "He's a fierce competitor. He needed to be that way today. There were a lot of stressful pitches, especially early in the game." -- O'Sullivan on Singer's ability to overcome early deficit
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"I saw my pitch count kind of going up. I wanted to go deep into the ballgame. The focus was on throwing quality strikes as the game continued. I just felt my hamstring pull a little bit [in the first inning]. I wasn't coming out." -- Singer on slow start, first inning play that prompted a visit from trainer
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"No one's perfect. Mize has been unbelievable the entire year, and really his whole career. I just think we had some good approaches today. I think it was that simple." -- O'Sullivan on beating Mize

UP NEXT: Game 2 of the best-of-three series is Sunday at noon. Florida junior right-hander Jackson Kowar (9-5, 3.38 ERA) gets the start against Auburn freshman right-hander Tanner Burns (7-4, 3.12). If the Gators win, they advance to the College World Series for a school-record fourth consecutive year. If they lose, a winner-take-all final is scheduled at 8:30 on Monday night at McKethan Stadium.

--Check back with FloridaGators.com later for more on today's game.