Kevin BrockwayGainesville Sun
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Florida baseball survived two tense games on Sunday to stay alive in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
Now comes the hard part. The pitching-thin Florida Gators (31-28) will look to pull off another upset in a winner-take-all Game 7 against host Oklahoma State (42-18) at the Stillwater Regional on Monday at O'Brate Stadium.
The winner will advance to play at No. 6 national seed Clemson in the NCAA Super Regionals this weekend.
Freshman righty Jake Clemente will start for the Gators on Monday, but Florida baseball coach Kevin O'Sullivan indicated it will probably be a by committee approach to string together nine innings on the mound. O'Sullivan has already used starters Liam Peterson, Jac Caglianone, Pierce Coppola and Cade Fisher and pitched closer Brandon Neely 5 2/3 on Sunday night.
"We've got plenty of arms," Florida baseball coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "It's just a matter of some guys stepping up. We've been in this position before. This is our third year in a row we've been in the regional final."
Neely struck out a career-high 11 to pick up the win in UF's 5-2 win over Oklahoma State on Sunday night.
"We're just really not trying to let the pressure get to us," Neely said. "Backs against the wall right now but playing with nothing to lose."
Florida also has gotten contributions up and down the lineup. Shortstop Colby Shelton belted two home runs on Sunday, including a go-ahead three-run shot on Sunday night against OSU, to increase his total to 20 home runs on the season. Right fielder Ashton Wilson has gone 8-for-17 in the Stillwater Regional and two-way star Jac Caglianone, when pitched to, has been productive. Caglianone has two home runs and 5 RBIs in regional play.
What channel is Florida baseball vs Oklahoma State playing on today?
TV:ESPNU
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Streaming:Watch ESPN;with FUBO(free trial); streaming link:https://go.web.plus.espn.com/g1x9ZA
Florida baseball vs. Oklahoma Baseball scoreboard
Florida baseball vs Oklahoma State in 2024 NCAA Stillwater Regional: Live score updates
Final: Florida 4, Oklahoma State 2
Fisher Jameson retires 10 straight batters to close out the game and Florida baseball completes its stunning comeback through the losers bracket in Stillwater, winning the NCAA Regional 4-2 on Monday afternoon. Florida moves on to face Clemson in the Super Regional
Tyler Shelnut adds to Florida baseball lead
Tyler Shelnut belts his 14th home run of the season to lead off the bottom of the sixth — a 432-foot shot off Oklahoma State reliever Robert Cranz — putting Florida back up by two runs, 4-2. Florida 4, Oklahoma State 2 end 6th.
Oklahoma State baseball inches closer
Oklahoma State loads the bases with none out in the fifth, but Florida minimizes the damage. The Cowboys score one run on a sac fly by Zach Ehrhard, but Frank Menendez works of the jam, striking out Aidan Meola with runners on first and second to get out of the inning. Gators 3, Oklahoma State 2 mid-5th.
Florida baseball tacks on a run
Florida answers with a run in the bottom of the fourth when Dale Thomas leads off the inning with a single, steals second and scores on an RBI single by Michael Robertson. Gators 3, Oklahoma State 1 end 4th.
Oklahoma State baseball answers with a run
Oklahoma State cuts the Florida lead to 2-1 on an RBI double by Aidan Meola. Florida starter Jake Clemente gets pulled after 3 1/3 and Florida head coach Kevin O'Sullivan went to lefty Frank Menendez with runners on first and second and one out. The move worked out as Menendez got back-to-back fly outs to get of the jam, Third baseman Dale Thomas also make a terrific diving stab during the inning that saved a double and prevented OSU from having a bigger inning. Gators 2, Oklahoma State 1 mid-3rd.
Florida baseball jumps out in front
Florida scores two runs in the bottom of the third to take an early 2-0. Michael Robertson is hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and moves to third on a double high off the right field wall by Jac Caglianone. Both score on a two-RBI single by Ashton Wilson. Gators 2, Oklahoma State 0 end 3.
Oklahoma State baseball lineup
Forsythe SS, Benge RF, Schubart LF, Ehrhard CF, Meola DH. Daugherty C, Brueggemann 1B, Ortiz 2B, Wulfert 2B. SP: Molsky (6-2, 4.74 ERA)
Florida baseball lineup
Kurland 2B, Caglianone 1B, Wilson RF, Shelton SS, Heyman C, Shelnut LF, Thomas 3B, Donay DH, Robertson CF. SP: Clemente.
