WHAT HAPPENED: Florida is on its way to the College World Series for the first time since 2018. The Gators capped their win over Southeastern Conference rivals South Carolina with a 4-0 win in the best-of-three Gainesville Super Regional at Condron Ballpark on Saturday afternoon. Florida won Game 1 on Friday night 5-4. The third baseman in the decisive win on Saturday Colby Holder contributed a two-run double and a starter Hurston Forest Rep was sensational after a weather-related delay of 2 hours and 36 minutes before the first pitch.
GAME PLAY: In a game dominated by Waldrep, it was Halter’s two-out double that did the damage offensively. Halters Drive along the right field line from the Gamecocks’ starter Jack Mahoney dotted BT Riopelle And Luke Heyman. In the previous at bat, Tyler Shelnut faced a shift to the left with both South Carolina shortstops Braylen Wimmer and second baseman Michael Braswell anchored on the left side of the infield. Braswell set up what would normally have been a double-play grounder, but with nobody covering second place, he initially knocked Shelnut out, but Riopelle and Heyman advanced. This prepared Halter for his biggest hit of the season.
Gator’s third baseman Colby Holder after his two-run double in the second inning in Saturday’s win over South Carolina. (Photo: UAA Communications)
AMAZING STATISTICS: Waldrep has hit 25 strikeouts in 15 innings in two NCAA tournament starts. He knocked out nine of the last 14 batters he faced before busting out with an On to a standing ovation, with no one down by the end of the ninth batter.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Who else? Waldrep, the junior right-hander from Thomasville, Georgia. He joined UF from southern Mississippi in the offseason and was sensational on Saturday. Waldrep pitched eight innings, the highest of his career, and hit 13 Gamecocks. Waldrep only allowed three hits before getting closer Brandon Neley came in to record the last three outs.
KEY MOMENT: As good as Waldrep was, the Gators added more insurance runs in the fifth inning Josh Rivera‘s RBI single and in the eighth on Halter’s RBI sacrificial flight. Halter finished the game 2-1 with three RBI.
HE SAID IT: “It was the greatest thing I could ever dream of. This audience, this team, it’s great. That’s why you play college baseball. That’s why you get to this level.” – Gators starter Hurson Forest Rep after the outing on Saturday
BY NUMBERS: 8,851 – Announced crowds at Condron Ballpark on Saturday, the second straight day that UF had the largest campus crowd in state college baseball history; 7,673 – Announced crowds Wednesday at LoanDepot Park in Miami for Marlins-Royals game; 13 — College World Series berths for the Gators in program history.
NEXT: The Gators advance to the College World Series where they face off against the winner of the Virginia-Duke Super Regional in Omaha, Nebraska. In the Virginia Duke series there is always a draw.
— Sullivan Bortner contributed to this report.