WHAT HAPPENED: The Gators used the same formula they have all season to defeat LSU, 4-3, in Game 1 of the best-of-three College World Series championship final. Starter Brady Singer continued Florida’s run of dominant pitching in Omaha (7 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 12 SO) and the Gators got enough offense — Jonathan India’s two-run double in the fourth inning UF’s biggest swing of the night — to hold off the Tigers. Closer Michael Byrne replaced Singer with no outs in the eighth and got the final six outs for his 19th save. The Gators, in the championship series for the third time in school history, won for the first time. They were swept in 2005 by Texas and in 2011 by South Carolina. The Gators are now one win from their first national championship.
PLAY OF THE GAME: With the Gators leading 4-2 and one on and one out for LSU’s Josh Smith, UF outfielder Nick Horvath made perhaps the play of the season for the Gators. Smith drilled a pitch into the gap in right-center for an RBI single, cutting the lead to 4-3. However, as Smith tried to stretch the hit into a double, Horvath threw a dart to shortstop Dalton Guthrie to nail Smith for the second out of the inning. Byrne then retired Beau Jordan for the third out and the inning was over.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Singer tossed his second consecutive gem in Omaha, this time striking out a career-high 12. The 12 strikeouts not only established a new career high for Singer, but broke the single-game record for a Florida pitcher at the CWS and set CWS record for most in a championship series game.
STAGGERING STATISTIC: When Austin Langworthy doubled to lead off the seventh and scored on Mike Rivera’s one-out single, it marked the ninth time in nine opportunities during the CWS that the Gators pushed home a runner from third with less than two outs.
UP NEXT: Florida and LSU meet in Game 2 on Tuesday night. Florida can claim its first national title with a victory. LSU can keep its bid alive for a seventh national title with a win. Tune into ESPN at 8 ET to watch.
