Gators Baseball Dominates LSU 24-4, Forces Game 3 for National Championship

The Florida Gator baseball teams took to Charles Schwab Field in a do or die game two of the Men’s College World Series finals against LSU on Sunday. The Gators came out in a dominant 24-4 victory over the Tigers, forcing a game three Monday for the National Championship.

Play of the Game

Ty Evans, who has been phenomenal in the College World Series, blasted a grand slam for his second home run of the game and fourth in Omaha. In the top of the third, the Gators got out to a 7-3 lead over the Tigers.

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“Ty stepped up in the biggest way possible this week,” Caglianone said of Evans. “He took the pressure off of the team, having a big lead that we haven’t really had this week.” #MCWS #GoGators pic.twitter.com/SAdy9ShYlF

— Ellie Shreve (@ellie_shreve) June 25, 2023

Slow Start for Florida

The Gators got off to a rocky start as LSU opened the scoring with a Gavin Dugas RBI double in the bottom of the first. Florida answered when Ty Evans launched his third homer of the College World Series, tying the game at one. The moonshot to left makes Evans the first Gator to hit three home runs in a single College World Series.

Then, the Tigers would retake the lead with a Tommy White single and Tre Morgan sac fly, making it 3-1, LSU. Florida two-way star Jac Caglianone would break the UF single-season RBI record with number 86, sending Cade Kurland home. Josh Rivera would follow with an RBI single to make it 3-3 in the top of the third.

Gator Bats Heat Up

After Evans’ grand slam in the third, Kurland would score on a throwing error by Jordan Thompson, before Wyatt Langford stepped up to the plate to blast a 449-foot homer 114 miles per hour off the bat. The Trenton Thunder’s three-run shot to left marks his 20th of the season. The Gators held an 11-3 advantage in the top of the sixth.

Wyatt Langford launches a 449-foot home run 114 mph off the bat. The three-run shot to left marks his 20th HR of the season.

T6 | #Gators 11-3 LSU @langford_wyatt @ESPNGainesville pic.twitter.com/HPLRrBReyA

— Ellie Shreve (@ellie_shreve) June 25, 2023

The Gators would score another run in the top of the sixth on a Tyler Shelnut RBI single to center. Langford would continue his hot streak at the plate, ripping an RBI double for a 14-3 Gator lead in the top of the seventh. Immediately after, Caglianone would make it 15-3 with an RBI ground out that drove in Langford.

Caglianone Makes History

Sunday’s contest saw a record-breaking performance from Caglianone, who broke not only the UF single-season RBI record (86) but the record for the most home runs in the BBCOR era at 33. He launched not one, but two dingers to continue writing his name in the history books. Home run number 33 gave the Gators a 19-3 advantage in the top of the eighth.

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Florida Forces Game Three

BT (Big Time) Riopelle would open the ninth with a 435-foot bomb to make it 20-3. Then, Shelnut scored on a two-base error in right field before a Colby Halter RBI single made it 22-3.

In the top of the ninth, Deric Fabian smacked a single to drive in two more runs for the Gators. Now at 24 runs, Florida set the record for the most runs in a College World Series game.

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The Gators would come out with a 24-4 win over LSU, forcing one more game for the National Championship Monday in Omaha.

“It doesn’t matter who they pitch, we’re going to be ready,” Wyatt Langford said of tomorrow’s game three against LSU for the National Championship. #GoGators #MCWS pic.twitter.com/jPCNkl1HxV

— Ellie Shreve (@ellie_shreve) June 25, 2023