Michael Robertson slapped a two-run double in the bottom of the 13th inning to lift Florida to a wild 11-10 win over No. 6 Clemson and a two-game sweep of the Clemson (S.C.) Super Regional on Sunday.
After Cam Cannarella’s three-run home run tied the game 9-9 for Clemson in the ninth, Alden Mathes put the Tigers in front with a solo shot in the top of the 13th. Mathes spiked his bat in celebration and received a warning from an umpire, which led to manager Erik Bakich and another Clemson coach to be ejected for arguing with the crew.
Then came Florida’s half of the inning. Luke Heyman and Tyler Shelnut singled off Ethan Darden (5-5) and were sacrificed over to third and second. Following an intentional walk to load the bases, Robertson came through on a 1-0 pitch for the Gators (34-28), who will make their second straight trip (and 14th overall trip) to the College World Series.
Jac Caglianone, Brody Donay and Ashton Wilson all hit two-run home runs for Florida. Luke McNeillie (4-6) yielded nothing more than Mathes’ homer in 1 2/3 innings of relief.
Blake Wright and Jimmy Obertop added homers for Clemson (44-16).
No. 1 Tennessee 12, Evansville 1
Christian Moore and Dalton Bargo each supplied two of the Volunteers’ seven home runs as they bashed their way past the Purple Aces to win the Knoxville Super Regional two games to one.
Brent Widder drove in a run in the top of the first to give Evansville (39-26) some more reason to hope after it upset the tournament’s top-seeded team 10-8 on Saturday. But Moore answered with a solo shot in the bottom half, and the barrage began with four more runs in the second inning.
Dean Curley, Billy Amick and Cal Stark also left the yard for Tennessee (55-12); the team’s first five were solo shots before Amick hit a two-run shot and Stark drove in three in the fifth. Starter Zander Sechrist (4-1) scattered six hits and one unearned run while striking out six in 6 1/3 innings, while Evansville starter Kevin Reed (5-3) was dinged for five runs on four hits in 1 1/3.
No. 7 Georgia 11, North Carolina State 2
The host Bulldogs had 15 hits, including four home runs, to turn the tables on the Wolfpack and tie the Athens (Ga.) Super Regional at one game apiece in the best-of-three series.
After NC State crushed Georgia 18-1 on Saturday, Bulldogs designated hitter Tre Phelps hit a three-run homer to center off Wolfpack starter Dominic Fritton to stake the Bulldogs (43-16) to a 5-0 lead in the third inning. He added an RBI in the fourth when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Fernando Gonzalez went 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI for Georgia. Corey Collins and Slate Alford each added two hits, including a home run, and two RBIs, while Paul Toetz was 2-for-5 with a solo homer. NC State (37-21) was led by Jacob Cozart, who was 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. Brandon Butterworth added two hits.
Georgia right-hander Leighton Finley (6-1) allowed one run on eight hits and two walks in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out five. Fritton (3-6) gave up seven runs on seven hits and a walk in three-plus innings and took the loss.
–Field Level Media
