OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Florida scored the most runs in College World Series history and fell within striking distance of the record for largest margin of victory in a 24-4 rout of LSU on Sunday that forced a decisive match 3.
The Gators hit six homers on a windy day at Charles Schwab Field and pounded LSU pitching for a CWS-record 23 hits a day after Ty Floyd struck out 17 in the Tigers’ 4-3 win and 11 innings in Game 1.
The teams play the final game of the College World Series on Monday night, with the winner winning the national championship.
Florida (54-16) was coming off a CWS record-tying eight-game winning streak. The Gators had put up 17 runs in four games here before the offense sputtered.
Ty Evans and Jac Caglianone each hit two home runs, and Evans’ grand slam broke things open early. Wyatt Langford and BT Riopelle also went deep.
Florida’s 24 runs broke Notre Dame’s CWS record, set in a 23-2 win over Northern Colorado in 1957. The 20-run victory over the Tigers (53-17) ranks second only to this match with the biggest margin.
The Gators hadn’t scored that many runs since a 28-5 win over Winthrop on March 3, 2019.
LSU had not given up that many in any of its 245 NCAA Tournament games. The Tigers committed a season-high five errors that led to six unearned runs.
Langford was 5-for-5 with six RBIs with two doubles and his homer.
Evans’ shot down the left field line in front of Nate Ackenhausen (3-1) tied the game at 1 in the second. His grand slam off Gavin Guidry in the third was a high fly that appeared to be a header, but the 20 mph wind blowing from left to right pushed it inside the left field foul pole.
The Tigers should have been out of the third before Evans came to bat, but shortstop Jordan Thompson’s fielding error cost them a double play opportunity and continued what turned into a six-run inning.
Langford connected in the fifth, and Caglianone followed with his nation-leading 32nd and 33rd homers.
Florida starter Hurston Waldrep, who had allowed two earned runs in 21 innings in the NCAA Tournament, went just 2 1/3. He walked six, hit two batters and allowed four hits in his shortest appearance of the season, not counting an outing against Vanderbilt when he didn’t return after one inning due to a rain delay.
LSU did next to nothing against Florida relievers Blake Purnell (2-0) and Nick Ficarrotta. They combined to pitch 6 1/3 innings of three-hit relief.
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AP Varsity Sports: i
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