Record-Setting Inning Carries Florida past Miami

By Phil Stanton

CollegeBaseballInsider.com Co-Founder

@roadtoomaha

 

OMAHA, Neb. - It was the biggest inning in the history of TD Ameritrade Park.

 

Fourth-seeded Florida sent 16 batters to the plate and scored 11 runs in the bottom of the fourth in a 15-3 victory over No. 5 Miami Saturday evening in Game 2 of the 2015 College World Series.

 

The Gators (50-16) will face Virginia on Monday, June 15 at 7 p.m. CT. The Hurricanes (49-16) will meet Arkansas on Monday at 2 p.m. CT in an elimination contest.

 

Florida tied a College World Series record with 11 runs in an inning. It had been accomplished seven other times, most recently by Stanford against Florida State on June 14, 2008.

 

"It's a disappointing game," Miami head coach Jim Morris said. "The fourth inning says everything about the game. Everything that could go wrong went wrong. We gave them too many opportunities, and when you give them those opportunities they go after it and get it done. And they did that tonight."

 

The Gators trailed 2-1 after three. Peter Alonso drove in three in the fourth for the Gators. His sacrifice fly gave Florida the lead at 3-2. Alonso added a two-run double later in the frame. Buddy Reed (pictured above) had two singles and scored twice, while JJ Schwarz knocked in a pair with a base hit for the Gators.

 

"I thought in the first three innings, nerves I guess were getting the most of us, the best of us," UF head coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "Certainly did not see 11-run inning in the fourth. But I can't say enough about our approach there. We stayed in the middle of the field. I thought in the first few innings we were trying to do too much. And obviously the big inning certainly was the difference in the game."

 

Miami started the scoring in the top of the first. Ricky Eusebio was hit by a pitch to lead off the game and moved to second when Christopher Barr beat out a bunt single. The Hurricanes took advantage of an error with one away to load the bases. David Thompson sent a fly ball to deep center to bring home Eusebio with the game's first run.

 

The Hurricanes doubled their lead in the third. George Iskenderian had a one-out single, moved to third on a hit-and-run single by Zack Collins and scored on Thompson's second sac fly to make it 2-0.

 

Florida got on the board in the bottom of the third. Mike Rivera drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a base hit by Dalton Guthrie. Both runners moved up one base on a sac bunt by Ryan Larson. With two away, Rivera was awarded home on a balk to make it a 2-1 contest.

 

"I think the first run is always the hardest," Schwarz said. "And doesn't matter how you get it. Balk, wild pitch, home run, doesn't matter. I think it was just a relief for all the hitters, and gave Logan [Shore} a little more confidence out there."

 

Josh Tobias drove in three in the game for the Gators, while Guthrie went 3 for 3 with two runs and Schwarz was 2 for 4 with two runs and two RBI.

 

Logan Shore (10-6) recorded the victory, going 5.0 innings with seven hits and three runs (two earned) with no walks and six strikeouts.

 

Brandon Lopez went 3 for 3 with two doubles and  run, while Thompson drove in a pair for the Canes.

 

Notes:

• Miami tied a CWS record by using eight pitchers. Four other teams previously used eight hurlers and all occurred since 2007. The most recent was North Carolina against NC State in an 8-1 loss on June 16, 2013. 

• The 15 runs by Florida was its third-highest total of the season. The Gators scored 22 twice (22-3 vs. Rhode Island, 22-2 vs. Stetson) and had a 19-0 win over Florida A&M in the first round of the Gainesville Regional.

• Miami matched the highest run total surrendered this season. The Hurricanes lost 15-5 to Florida State on April 25.