The UF baseball team eliminated Central Michigan on Sunday afternoon in the Gainesville Regional. The Gators return to action Sunday night to face Oklahoma.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — They kept it interesting until the final out, but the Gators kept their season alive.
Florida defeated Central Michigan 6-5 on Sunday afternoon at Condron Ballpark in an elimination game of the Gainesville Regional.
The No. 1-seed Gators (41-23) advanced to face No. 2-seed Oklahoma at 7 tonight. The Gators must win to force a winner-take-all championship game on Monday. Oklahoma beat the Gators 9-4 on Saturday night.
On Sunday, Florida took control against Central Michigan through the early innings thanks to a pair of solo home runs by Wyatt Langford<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15097&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=cRKgPB8NW7EGC4zN3v1HzxIgnF8UwqW8SjGR8Y5CojDB4c-ZejHknnIttsvpdDdv&s=WZP6qgi37LeNlnXA_z2KL8bcCqQt5f839MzU8eLDMkQ&e= > and a steal of home by shortstop Josh Rivera<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15104&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=cRKgPB8NW7EGC4zN3v1HzxIgnF8UwqW8SjGR8Y5CojDB4c-ZejHknnIttsvpdDdv&s=LlJ2QnWIIvr3_cV42loOlktohfHWtOFSQ1SXAeyxySQ&e= >. The Gators led 5-0 before the Chippewas scored a run in the fifth and then added four runs off four UF pitchers in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game 5-5.
Reliever Ryan Slater<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15105&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=cRKgPB8NW7EGC4zN3v1HzxIgnF8UwqW8SjGR8Y5CojDB4c-ZejHknnIttsvpdDdv&s=bfhLfDJQo1ftgdfZgqcIo4LjOur2InQGdObywJFU3j4&e= > took over in the seventh and tossed three scoreless innings, giving up one hit while walking one and striking out two. Slater retired Central Michigan third baseman Aidan Shepardson on a pop out to third to end the game, stranding the bases loaded.
Gators starter Nick Pogue<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15102&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=cRKgPB8NW7EGC4zN3v1HzxIgnF8UwqW8SjGR8Y5CojDB4c-ZejHknnIttsvpdDdv&s=RKmINZ6u8l8vxypkzIL-Gv9PlQoZbb38Y59k2f2nYUQ&e= > allowed five hits and three runs in five innings. He ran into trouble in the sixth when the first two runners reached. Relievers Blake Purnell<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15103&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=cRKgPB8NW7EGC4zN3v1HzxIgnF8UwqW8SjGR8Y5CojDB4c-ZejHknnIttsvpdDdv&s=M1zrnEwPObF9gcL17GP133H8wBPmALUJWTFegBnml04&e= >, Philip Abner<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15126&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=cRKgPB8NW7EGC4zN3v1HzxIgnF8UwqW8SjGR8Y5CojDB4c-ZejHknnIttsvpdDdv&s=hRiNNyPJu7C_eFp_vUvQmffpn1aIhDBxNDha_ALRO-o&e= > and Tyler Nesbitt<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15101&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=cRKgPB8NW7EGC4zN3v1HzxIgnF8UwqW8SjGR8Y5CojDB4c-ZejHknnIttsvpdDdv&s=ThoO7udEsw5Q6F6V8Eqpd3XujhTIRh79X4yrrk7p0gA&e= > followed Pogue to the mound before the inning finally ended with the Chippewas scoring four runs, aided by three Gators walks.
Langford, who entered Sunday’s game 0-for-9 in the regional, finished 2-for-3 with two home runs, two RBI and three runs scored. Langford’s 25th home run of the season, the second-highest single-season total in school history, hit high off the batter’s eye wall beyond the center-field fence to put the Gators up 4-0 in the fourth.
The Gators won for the 18th time in their last 24 games and now must beat the Sooners twice to keep their season alive.
NOTABLES
* Langford’s second-inning long ball represented his 24th of the year, moving him into sole possession of second on Florida’s single-season home run list.
* Matt LaPorta holds the all-time record with 26 homers in 2005.
* Langford connected for a second home run in the fourth, raising his season total to 25 big flies.
* Langford now has five two-homer games on the season.
* Florida’s 117 home runs this season rank second all-time in program history.
* Record: 132 (1998)
* Rivera stole home in the fifth inning to put the Gators up, 5-0.
* It marked Florida’s first steal of home since Blake Reese accomplished the feat on June 11, 2018 vs. Auburn.
* Mac Guscette<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15095&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=cRKgPB8NW7EGC4zN3v1HzxIgnF8UwqW8SjGR8Y5CojDB4c-ZejHknnIttsvpdDdv&s=B57Mg0UtuyxzoK5yVHm_gRmA77LZwPqlcdaqJA–sWU&e= > also stole second on the play, marking his first-career stolen base.
* Florida is now 9-0 all-time against Central Michigan including 8-0 at home.
* Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_coaches.aspx-3Frc-3D1445&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=cRKgPB8NW7EGC4zN3v1HzxIgnF8UwqW8SjGR8Y5CojDB4c-ZejHknnIttsvpdDdv&s=y900d4SZE7iCqUzmT3c955LspXZDbwJpriHdFMUOpi8&e= > is 2-0 vs. the Chippewas.
* Florida is 118-81 in NCAA Tournament games.
* The Gators are playing in their 14th consecutive Regional under O’Sullivan.
* 2022 represents Florida’s 37th NCAA appearance and 18th time hosting.
* Florida has won 16 of its last 21 games and 18 of its last 24.
UP NEXT
Florida advances to the championship bracket to face No. 9 Oklahoma at 7 p.m. tonight. The Gators will need to defeat the Sooners twice in a row to win this year’s Gainesville Regional.
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