OMAHA, Neb. – With a record-tying 11-run inning, No. 4 national seed Florida took a decisive 15-3
victory over No. 5 Miami in the second game of the 2015 Men’s College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha.
The barrage of Florida hits that broke the game open followed a two-error play in the fourth inning.
Miami shortstop Brandon Lopez allowed two runners to get into scoring position with a fielding error and a throwing error on the same play. Florida took advantage, piling on nine hits (eight of which were singles), a sacrifice fly and a hit by pitch. The 11 runs tied a College World Series record.
Peter Alonso recorded three RBI in the inning, with a sac fly and a double. Buddy Reed and Mike Rivera had two hits each, and Reed, Josh Tobias and JJ Schwarz each scored twice in the inning. Seven Gators recorded RBI, all but two Gators hit twice in the inning, and all but two Gators plated at least one run.
Miami had gotten out to a 2-1 lead before the fateful inning. The Hurricanes loaded the bases in the first. David Thompson drove a fly ball deep to center to score Ricky Eusebio, but Garrett Kennedy struck out to end the threat.
In the third inning, George Iskendarian led off with a single. Thompson hit him home with another sac fly to center. Florida first baseman Alonso snagged a line drive out of the air to end the inning and stop the Hurricanes’ threat.
The Gators plated a run in the third. Rivera walked and Guthrie singled. They advanced to second and third after a sac bunt by Ryan Larson. Then a balk was called on Andrew Suarez, allowing Rivera to score.
Miami got their third run in the sixth, when Brandon Lopez doubled and Jacob Heyward drove him in with a single up the middle.
Florida added three more runs in the seventh. Harrison Bader collected his first RBI of the night with a double down the right field line that scored Guthrie. Pinch hitter Jeremy Vasquez came home on an error by the third baseman, and Tobias drove in the final run with a groundout to the shortstop.
Alonso and Tobias finished with three RBI each. Guthrie collected three hits to lead the Gators.
Starter Logan Shore picked up his 10th win of the season on five innings pitched. He allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits and struck out six.
A CWS-record-tying eight pitchers went to the mound for Miami. The loss fell on starter Andrew Suarez, who suffered just his second loss of the year.
Miami will face Arkansas in an elimination game on Monday at 2 p.m. CT. Florida faces Virginia in a winner’s bracket matchup on Monday at 7 p.m
