GAINESVILLE REGIONAL: Gators 6, Texas Tech 0 — UF Completes Comeback, Movin' on to Super Regional

Monday, June 5, 2023 | Baseball, Scott Carter

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By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer

GAINESVILLE REGIONAL at CONDRON FAMILY BALLPARK
Gators 6, Texas Tech 0

WHAT HAPPENED: The Gators completed their long road out of the losers' bracket in the Gainesville Regional with a third consecutive do-or-die victory, beating Texas Tech 6-0 on Monday afternoon at Condron Ballpark. Florida overcame a loss in one of its first two games of a regional to win the regional title for the first time since 1998. To do so, Florida beat Connecticut and Texas Tech on Sunday, and then defeated the Red Raiders again on Monday. The Gators advanced to a Super Regional for the first time since 2018.

PLAY OF THE GAME: It would be easy to say the scorched home run hit by Wyatt Langford in the top of the second that accounted for the Gators' first run of the game. That was one more than Texas Tech scored. But Langford's most memorable contribution Monday was when he stole two bases on one play in the fifth. After reaching on an error by Texas Tech shortstop Will Burns, the Red Raiders shifted hard right for left-handed hitting Jac Caglianone. Langford took off and stole second, and with third baseman Kevin Bazzell taking the throw from catcher Dylan Maxcey, Langford beat Bazzell in a foot race to third for an additional stolen base. He scored on Josh Rivera's single to put UF ahead 4-0.

STAGGERING STAT: Gators catcher BT Riopelle was 0-for-15 with eight strikeouts in the Gainesville Regional until he announced his presence in Monday's championship game with two two-run homers.

Riopelle, BT (2023 NCAA Tournament vs. Texas Tech third time) — **BT Riopelle**, No. 15, is pumped after hitting the first of his two home runs in Monday's victory over Texas Tech. (Photo: UAA Communications)

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Gators were nursing a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth when Rivera led off with a single against new Texas Tech pitcher Josh Sanders. Riopelle blasted the first pitch he saw from Sanders out of the ballpark for a two-run homer and 3-0 Gators lead. Riopelle delivered again in the fifth, smacking another two-run homer that gave the Gators a 6-0 lead and sent the announced crowd of 5,881 at Condron Ballpark into a frenzy.

KEY MOMENT: How about when Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan decided to start reliever Ryan Slater on Monday. Slater was excellent, tossing five shutout innings for his team-high 10th win. Slater took the mound Monday with only two starts among his 23 appearances. Still, he pitched as if a member of the starting rotation all season. He limited the Red Raiders to three hits and two walks. He struck out one and hit a batter in a 56-pitch effort before relievers Philip Abner and Brandon Neely closed the victory.

BY THE NUMBERS: 25 — Years since Florida won three consecutive do-or-die games to win a regional championship. The Gators overcame a loss to Baylor in the second game to beat Richmond, Wake Forest and Illinois in 1998; 6 — Home runs hit in four games for the Gators in the regional, including three on Monday.

FROM THE COACH: "It started with the starting pitching. The whole key was to get five [innings] from Ryan. I think for us to get over the hump, for this program to get back to this point, it's important. They were ready to go. I was exhausted this morning, but they had a ton of energy. They were ready to go." — Florida coach Kevin O'Sullivan on win

PLAYER QUOTE: "I'm very excited for our team. I didn't do anything. I just caught all the pitches they threw to me. Their stuff is immaculate. What's good for us is that we're playing a familiar opponent. We did not have success before. We're a confident bunch and we're ready to take it into next week." — Gators catcher BT Riopelle on his team's pitching

NCAA GAINESVILLE REGIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Catcher: Ty Hanchey, Florida A&M
First base: Jac Caglianone, Florida
Second base: Austin Green, Texas Tech
Third base: Kevin Bazzell, Texas Tech
Shortstop: Josh Rivera, Florida
Outfield: Wyatt Langford, Florida
Outfield: Tyler Shelnut, Florida
Outfield: Korey Morton, UConn
Designated Hitter: Zac Vooletich, Texas Tech
Starting Pitcher: Mason Molina, Texas Tech
Starting Pitcher: Hurston Waldrep, Florida
Relief Pitcher: Brandon Neely, Florida
Regional MVP: Jac Caglianone, Florida

NOTABLES

Florida won its 15th NCAA Regional title including the program's ninth under Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan.
- The Gators advance to Super Regionals for the first time since 2018.
- Florida will be hosting its ninth Super Regional since 2008, which leads the nation.
This is the first time since 1998 that Florida has won three-straight do-or-die games to win a Regional.
- The Gators won their first NCAA Regional out of the loser's bracket out of seven attempts in the O'Sullivan era.
The Gators played in their second-straight NCAA Regional final against a Big-12 opponent.
- The Gators have played in 10 Regional finals under O'Sullivan.
Florida is now 123-83 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
- The Gators are 86-51 in NCAA Regional play.
- UF is hosting its 19th NCAA Regional while making the 38th Regional appearance in program history.
- Florida has hosted 12 out of a possible 15 Regionals in the O'Sullivan era.
Langford hit his 18th home run of the season with a solo shot in the third inning, marking his seventh-career postseason home run.
- Langford has homered in all four postseason series that he has played in.
Riopelle broke out of an 0-for-15 NCAA Tournament slump with a two-run home run to move the score to 3-0 in the fourth inning.
- Riopelle hit another two-run shot in the fifth, marking his third multi-homer game of the season and the fourth of his career.
  - The second home run marked Riopelle's 15th of the season including his fifth of the 2023 postseason (three at SEC Tournament).
Slater fired five shutout innings in his third start of the season, allowing just three hits and two walks.
- The outings was Slater's second of at least five innings of the season following his six-inning start against Florida State on April 11.
Florida has hit 126 home runs this season, which ranks second in a single season in program history behind the 1998 team (132).
Florida has struck out 644 batters in 541 innings – translating to 10.7 per nine innings, which would mark a new program record.
The Gators have 611 hits through 63 games (9.7 hits/game).
The Gators have scored in 44.1% of batted innings (226 of 513).
Florida is now 3-3 all-time vs. Texas Tech, all of which have taken place in the postseason in the O'Sullivan era.

UP NEXT: The Gators will host Southeastern Conference rival South Carolina in a best-of-three NCAA Super Regional starting later this week. Times and dates TBA. This is the ninth NCAA Super Regional for the Gators in O'Sullivan's 16 seasons.

— Sullivan Bortner contributed to this report.