June 18, 2012

CBI Live: Kent State 5, #1 Florida 4

CWS Game 7 Notes

No. 1 national seed Florida goes 0-2 at CWS

By Phil Stanton

CollegeBaseballInsider.com Co-Founder

@roadtoomaha

Since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1999, Florida is the second No. 1 national seed to reach the College World Series and go 0-2. The Gators join the 2010 Arizona State Sun Devils as top seeds to lose their first two games in Omaha.

Kent State is 4-3 all-time against SEC opponents and 3-1 in the 2012 NCAA Tournament, with three one-run wins. The Golden Flashes edged Kentucky twice in the Gary Regional (7-6 in 21 innings & 3-2), lost to Arkansas 8-1 in the College World Series before the 5-4 victory over Florida.

Five of Kent State’s past six games have been one-run contests. The Golden Flashes have won four of those five one-run games.

Kent State is 43-1 when leading after eight innings.

Kent State is now 3-1 all-time against Florida. The Golden Flashes took two of three in Gainesville in February of 2007. KSU won the opener 10-4, fell 7-0 in the second game before taking the finale 1-0.

Jimmy Rider of KSU leads all active Division I players with 1,053 at-bats and 78 doubles. He is second with 353 hits and tied for second with 219 runs.

Of the nine Mid-American Conference teams to reach the CWS, only one went 0-2 (Western Michigan, 1963).

Preston Tucker of Florida leads all active players with career totals of 265 games, 57 home runs, 596 total bases and 258 RBI. He is second with 1,032 at-bats and third with 340 hits and 70 doubles.

Greg Larson made his 122nd career appearance, the second-highest total among active players. He trails Cody Parker of Mississippi Valley State with 133. Larson is second in program history, behind Connor Falkenbach (124 from 2002-05).