Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Auburn tops Florida
An RBI single by Luke Jarvis (above) in the bottom of the ninth gave Auburn a 3-2 victory over top-seeded Florida in their bestof-three Super Regional Sunday. It set up a decisive game tonight, with the winner advancing to the College World Series.
AUBURN 3, FLORIDA 2
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Auburn got a number of clutch performances from freshmen with its season on the line at Florida.
And one huge hit from a fifth-year senior.
Luke Jarvis’ RBI single in the bottom of the ninth gave Auburn a 3-2 victory over the top-seeded Gators in their best-of-three super regional Sunday. It set up a decisive game tonight, with the winner advancing to the College World Series.
Florida (46-19), the defending national champion, hasn’t lost consecutive games at home since April 2017.
“I’m happy to have one more day to fight,” Tigers Coach Butch Thompson said.
Tanner Burns and Cody Greenhill, two freshman All-American pitchers, held the Gators in check throughout the day. Burns gave up five hits and an earned run
in six innings, and Greenhill (6-2) surrendered a solo home run over the final three frames.
Another freshman, Steven Williams, tied the game in the fourth with his 12th homer and tracked down a ball in the gap that surely would have been a double in the third.
All of those guys will return next year, giving Auburn
(43-22) plenty of hope for the future. Jarvis, though, was down to his final few outs.
He was hitless in seven atbats in the series before coming through and giving the Tigers at least another day.
Brendan Venter got things started in the ninth with a lead-off walk off reliever Jordan Butler (6-2). He moved to second on Jay Estes’ single and then gave way to pinch-runner Cade Evans. Jarvis drove the first pitch into left center, easily scoring Evans.
The Tigers looked like they wouldn’t even need their final at-bat, but Florida’s Austin Langworthy homered to start the ninth off Greenhill.
AUSTIN TEXAS 4, TENNESSEE TECH 2
AUSTIN, Texas — All-American Kody Clemens drove in two runs, one with his 23rd home run of the season, and Texas defeated Tennessee Tech to even their NCAA Tournament best-of-three super regional series at one victory apiece. Game 3 is today.
Texas (41-21) starter Chase Shugart (6-3) allowed a run and two hits (he walked five) before leaving after six innings.
The Longhorns jumped ahead 2-0 after two innings. Clemens, a finalist for national player of the year awards, lined a double to right center to drive in one run in the first.
Ryan Reynolds hit a bloop opposite field double to left that gave Texas a 2-0 lead in the second inning.
Tech (53-11), which leads the nation in batting average and home runs, produced just three hits and has one homer in two games here.