OMAHA, Neb. — There’s only one strategy when a national title is at stake: Fit in with the moment.
Circumstances determine the direction.
Pitchers are off-limits only until they stop, as desperate times call for desperate measures and games don’t always go as planned. In fact, this is rarely the case this late in the season.
However, the teams can hope.
And in preparation for Sunday’s second game of the National Championship series against LSU, Florida was hoping its offense would allow it to avoid narrower Brandon Neely and frequent left-hander Cade Fisher, who combined threw 104 pitches from the Gator Bullpen the night before.
Achieving that would also require strong pitching performances from some of Florida’s lesser-used substitutes.
“Some other guys had to step up,” Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said.
In the first three innings of Florida’s dominating 24-4 win over the Tigers on Sunday afternoon in front of a crowd of more than 25,000 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, it seemed that wish would go unfulfilled.
Starter Hurston Waldrep gave his team just seven outs and left the contest with loaded bases, one out and the core of the LSU order on the plate.
On offense, the Gators’ troubles from Saturday seemed to be continuing, as they left two runners at the scoring position in the first run, scored just one run in the second and batted four times.
However, as the competition progressed, it became clear that a possible nightmare would be avoided entirely. The game turned into a dream.
The record-breaking attack was, of course, thanks to them. Relievers Nick Ficarrotta and Blake Purnell are also there.
“It was outstanding,” said O’Sullivan.
Florida’s unlikely bullpen exploits began with Purnell.
A 2022 All-American freshman, the sidearm righty struggled throughout the 2023 regular season, resulting in low stakes and low-leverage bets. But on Sunday, Florida challenged him to try and outrun Waldrep’s crowded backlog in the third inning.
With winds blowing toward the center at speeds up to 30 mph, a Grand Slam was not out of the question. Florida had just scored in the top half of the inning. The Gators led by four runs.
But as if he’d played the scenario countless times before, Purnell offered his patented High 80s sinker and forced LSU starting third baseman Tommy White – the team’s home run leader – to an inning-ending doubleplay, before giving the Gators another scoreless inning in the fourth.
“I thought the double play that Blake Purnell got was a big play in the game,” O’Sullivan said.
Then, as Florida’s offensive attack continued, it came down to Ficarrotta, who hadn’t played in a game since appearing in the regional round three weeks ago.
He dominated the Gators in the next four innings, knocking out LSU’s star-studded lineup and giving up just one run on a two-out solo shot in the ninth, his fifth inning full of work.
His performance was timely and decisive.
“What can you say about his efforts?” said O’Sullivan. “It was excellent. Because it was a bit light in our bullpen today. We didn’t want to use Neely or Cade in this game, so a few others had to step in. The goal, if we got into trouble, was to go to (right-hander Ryan) Slater midgame and hopefully ride him for three or four innings. But it turned out we didn’t have to use it today.”
Setting the stage for Monday’s winner’s take-all contest.
Florida will start two-way sophomore Jac Caglianone on the mound in hopes he can get deep in the game.
But Caglianone has been inconsistent as a pitcher, especially away from Gainesville, where he only pitched more than four innings twice.
That’s why the availability of Slater, Neely, and Fisher was so important.
O’Sullivan said it put the Gators in a good position.
“One of our weekend starters takes a four-day break,” he said. “Neely and Cade, who pitched a lot for us out here, had the day off. Ryan Slater didn’t pitch. I think we’re in the best possible shape coming into the third game of a weekend series. That’s it.”
Ficarrotta and Purnell were also aware of their importance.
“I had to give the team a chance to win,” said Ficarrotta. “These days, before the game, Sully said someone needed to step in and I’m glad I did.”
Purnell, his roommate in Omaha, echoed this sentiment.
“We had a job to do and we did it,” he said.