After beating Auburn

HRs propel host UF past upstart FAU

late Monday night, Florida is now two wins away from a chance to defend the school’s first national title in baseball.

GAINESVILLE — It took 12 hours, two games and enough shaky moments to put the Florida Gators’ season in doubt. But the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament rallied Monday night to slip by the FAU Owls 5-2 during the Gainesville Regional.

UF’s come-from-behind win would ease into early Tuesday morning at McKethan Stadium, where a small but boisterous crowd stuck around to watch the Gators regroup before it was too late and advance to this weekend’s Super Regional against Auburn.

UF (45-18) is now two wins away from a chance to defend the school’s first national title in baseball.

“Bottom line is we got to play better,” UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “It’s not just one phase. I’m confident we’re going to get it back.

“We’re playing for a chance

to go to Omaha, [home of the College World Series].”

UF ace Brady Singer is expected to square off at noon Saturday during the opener of the best-of-three series against Auburn ace Casey Mize, the No. 1 pick in Monday’s MLB draft. Singer, who was drafted No. 18, out-dueled Mize during a 3-1 Gators’ win April 26 in Gainesville.

UF was fortunate to get the chance to face Mize.

“At the end of the day when you get to this point the level of focus has to be an all-time high,” O’Sullivan said. “I’m excited we get the chance to play Auburn. But we did not play our best. It’s just the facts.”

Following a lopsided 7-4 loss during the early game Monday, the Gators fell behind 2-0 during the top of the first inning against the pesky Owls.

FAU drew three walks off freshman starter Jack Leftwich and scored two runs on a bloop single by catcher Gunnar Lambert. Leftwich, though, would settle down and retire 10 of the final 11 batters he faced before exiting after four innings.

UF’s hitters answered in the third inning on a double by designated hitter Nelson Maldonado, followed by a single from star third baseman Jonathan India, who was selected with the No. 5 pick by the Cincinnati Reds. India’s hit scored backup catcher Jonah Girand, but the Gators would leave the bases loaded and still trail 2-1.

An inning later, Girand gave the Gators the lead for good, delivering his third home run of the regional — and of the 2018 season. Girand’s two-run shot also was the second go-ahead homer in three days for the little-used junior from Winter Garden, who was forced into the lineup while senior starter JJ Schwarz recovered from a broken bone in his hand.

“What can you say about Jonah Girand’s Regional?” O’Sullivan said. “Probably the biggest reason we won the regional. Really proud of him.”

The toll of five games in four days on FAU’s pitching staff began to show when India and right fielder Wil Dalton tagged Vince Coletti for back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning.

“It’s hard to kind of keep them in check all night,” FAU coach John McCormack said. “Jonathan India is a really good player. Some of those swings he took tonight … he’s a differencemaker.”

Fatigue made a difference, too, McCormack admitted.

Coletti was the third pitcher for the Owls, who ended the night using five against the Gators. Senior reliever Drew Peden, an Orange City University alum, appeared in four of five games for FAU (43-19-1).

“It does tax the pitching staff … when you keep having to ask guys to go out, not only physically but mentally,” McCormack said. “These tournaments prove who has the better goods.”

The Owls still managed to give the Gators — 9-1 against FAU under coach Kevin O’Sullivan — all they could handle during both games.

Weather delays liked dulled UF’s mental edge.

The Gators had hoped to play — and hopefully eliminate — FAU on Sunday following the Owls’ 12-7 win against Jacksonville University. But the UF-FAU game was called due to weather, forcing the teams to move the game to 1 p.m. Monday.

But a four-hour and 41-minute weather delay pushed the start time until 5:45 p.m. The elimination game did not begin until 9:45 p.m., but ultimately was worth the wait for the Gators. egthompson@ orlandosentinel.com