College World Series: Gators 3, TCU 2 — UF Clinches Spot in CWS Championship Series

Wednesday, June 21

Omaha, Neb.

2 PM ET

Florida Gators

53-15

TCU

44-24

Florida

TCU

And That's The Ballgame (2023 College World Series)

Graphic: Vinny Nardella/UAA Communications

College World Series: Gators 3, TCU 2 — UF Clinches Spot in CWS Championship Series

Wednesday, June 21, 2023 | Baseball, Scott Carter

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer

COLLEGE WORLD SERIES at CHARLES SCHWAB FIELD
Gators 3, TCU 2

WHAT HAPPENED: The Gators beat TCU at Charles Schwab Field on Wednesday afternoon to advance to the best-of-three championship series for the fourth time in program history. Starter Jac Caglianone pitched 4 1/3 innings before UF head coach Kevin O'Sullivan went to the bullpen to finish off the Horned Frogs, who were eliminated. Shortstop Josh Rivera hit a two-run homer in the top of the first inning to give the Gators a lead they held onto until TCU tied the game in the bottom of the eighth. In the top of the ninth, second baseman Cade Kurland's RBI infield single scored pinch-runner Michael Robertson for the game-winning run. When closer Brandon Neely polished off the Horned Frogs in the bottom of the inning, Florida had its eighth consecutive victory in the NCAA Tournament.

PLAY OF THE GAME: It's got to be Kurland's bouncing ball toward the hole at shorstop that he beat out for a two-out infield single in the ninth that scored Robertson. After Tyler Shelnut led off with a double, Robertson came into the game as a pinch-runner. Pinch-hitter Dale Thomas then popped up a bunt for the first out, followed by a deep drive to right by Colby Halter for the second out that moved Robertson to third. Finally, Kurland's bouncer scored Robertson to put the Gators back on top. If there is a No. 2 play of the game, Robertson's catch to end the game is the winner. With two down in the bottom of the ninth, TCU's Brayden Taylor hit a ball deep to center field that Robertson caught as he leapt and crashed into the wall. Robertson took over in center field in the bottom of the ninth for defensive purposes, as Wyatt Langford shifted to left.

Rivera, Josh and Langford, Wyatt (2023 CWS vs. TCU) — **Josh Rivera**, right, is greeted by **Wyatt Langford** after Rivera's two-run homer in the first inning on Wednesday afternoon at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha. (Photo: **Maddie Washburn**/UAA Communications)

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: In Caglianone's first CWS starter, the sophomore left-hander was shaky but resilient. He needed 35 pitches to get out of the first inning as he allowed one run. From there, he settled in before tiring in the fifth and replaced by right-hander Ryan Slater. Caglianone lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowing three hits, one run and three walks. He struck out four in his 85-pitch outing and received a no-decision.

KEY MOMENT: TCU loaded the bases twice in the first five innings and could muster only one run. When Slater replaced Caglianone with one on and one out in the top of the fifth, he loaded the bases by allowing a single and walk. However, Slater regrouped to strike out Tre Richardson for the second out and retired Kurtis Byrne on a pop out to second to end the inning.

BY THE NUMBERS: 7 — Home runs hit by Gators in CWS. 10 — Home runs hit by rest of CWS field.

HE SAID IT: "We're in a great position now. We've got our pitching lined up with Sproat and Waldrep. You have to have a nucleus of guys that have some matuirty and have some at-bats under their belts, and some guys who have some high-leverage innings to get through games like this. We were fortunate to just get one more run." — Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan on the victory

NOTABLES

Florida tied the program record for wins in a season (2011 – 53).
The Gators advance to the College World Series Finals for the fourth time in team history (2005, 2011, 2017, 2023).
Florida begins 3-0 in Omaha for the second time in program history (2011).
- All three wins have come in one-run games, improving UF's season record to 10-3 in single-run affairs.
The Gators are now 24-24 all-time at the CWS and 128-84 in the NCAA Tournament.
Florida is playing in its 13th College World Series and eighth in the Kevin O'Sullivan era: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2023.
Already with more home runs in a season than any Gator shortstop in team history, Rivera hit his 19th long ball of the campaign to put UF ahead, 2-0, in the first inning.
- Rivera finished 3-for-4 on the game, marking his team-best ninth three-hit performance of the campaign.
Florida has now swatted a program-record 136 home runs this season.
- The Gators have launched seven of the 17 home runs at the 2023 College World Series.
Since facing elimination in NCAA Regionals, Florida has gone 8-0 while outscoring opponents, 44-18.
- Florida has hammered 15 home runs while allowing just two.
Florida has struck out 698 batters in 584 innings – translating to 10.8 per nine innings, which would mark a new program record.
The Gators have 652 hits through 68 games (9.6 hits/game).
The Gators have scored in 43.3% of batted innings (241 of 557).
Florida is now 3-1 all-time vs. TCU, all of which have been played in Omaha in the O'Sullivan era.

UP NEXT: The Gators advance to the CWS best-of-three championship series for the fourth time in school history. The 2023 Gators joined the 2005, '11 and '17 Gators in earning a berth in the championship series. Florida won its first national title in 2017. The Gators will face the Wake Forest-LSU winner starting on Saturday night at 7 ET.

— Sullivan Bortner contributed to this report.