Florida advanced to the College World Series in electric fashion with a walkoff home run in the 11th inning in the rubber match of their super regional with Auburn, winning 3-2. But the way they did it was simply improbable.
Florida advanced to the College World Series after a walk-off homer bounced off an outfielder’s glove
The Gators are going back to Omaha after a wild play to beat an Auburn team that wouldn’t go away.
ENHANCE
Yep, that’s the baseball hitting right off of right fielder Steven Williams’ outstretched glove.
It’s shades of that hilarious Jose Canseco play from back in the day, but this one had much more on the line.
Auburn and Florida met for a deciding game three in the Gainesville super regional, and the Tigers nearly managed to upend the Gators’ hopes of repeating as national champions in the College World Series. Auburn was .500 in SEC play, and Florida beat them in the regular season series in two of their three games. The Gators are the top national seed and at home, yet for much of the proceedings this one looked ripe for an upset. At stake for the Tigers was the first College World Series berth for Auburn since 1997.
Auburn starting pitcher Andrew Mitchell turned in four and a third innings of solid work, and middle reliever Davis Daniell threw them through the final four innings and two extras. But it was his final pitch that he, and his right fielder both will wish they can get back for a long time.
Florida’s Jonathan India, the No. 5 overall pick in the MLB Draft this year, started the night’s scoring with a solo home run in the first inning, but runs were at a premium in this affair. The Tigers and Gators played four innings tied at 2-2 before forcing extra innings in Gainesville, then in the 11th, UF pulled out some heroics thanks to what will become an infamous catch that wasn’t.
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