Schwarz could return to bolster Gators in series
OMAHA, Neb. JJ Schwarz hit three home runs Friday. All came in batting practice at TD Ameritrade Park, so they counted for nothing, but they were significant news for the injured Florida senior as the No. 1 Gators (47-19) prepared for their opening College World Series game today against Texas Tech (44-18).
Asked if he’ll play, Schwarz, second on the team in batting average (.325), and third in home runs (12) and runs batted-in (46), gave a “We’ll see,” but all signs are positive after Friday’s practice session.
Schwarz, the first team captain that coach Kevin O’Sullivan has named in his 11 seasons, took 28 swings Friday. He started practice with black tape bonding together the index and middle fingers on his broken right hand, but after a few warmup throws he removed the tape.
Schwarz played first base much of last season, and that’s where he fielded grounders Friday. Catching, he said, is out of the question for now. The pain in his still slightly discolored fingers is present but tolerable.
O’Sullivan Schwarz’ call if again.
“He’s going to come to me when he’s ready,” O’Sullivan said.
Schwarz’ injury was the latest turn in an ever-twisting career for the Gators’ catcher. He took a foul ball off his right hand May 18 in a game at Mississippi State, and hasn’t played since. He thought his college career was over.
“I was pretty emotional when it happened,” Schwarz said.
Eleven games on the bench — the first time in four years he’d been out of the lineup — included elimination games against Florida Atlantic and Monday’s 11-inning win against Auburn. After the latter, Schwarz prayed near home said it is he suits up plate.
“I had a moment with God, talking to him about how I wish whoever comes after me, whoever steps on this field, gets the same impact I did,” Schwarz said.
Schwarz hit .332 with 18 homers with 73 RBI as a freshman, and then saw those numbers drop to
as a sophomore. Worse yet, the Gators went 0-for-2 in the CWS. Schwarz hit 12 homers as a junior, but also posted a career-low in batting average (.259) and RBI (56). That season, though, ended with Schwarz making the final putout as the Gators won their first national championship. The only snag that night was that somewhere in the postgame celebration, the ball from that last out was lost.
“New plan,” Schwarz said. “If I’m at first base, I’ll put it in my back pocket.”
There is no question about today’s starting pitcher. O’Sullivan mocked flipping a coin when asked if Brady Singer (12-1, 2.30 ERA) would be on the mound in response to the easiest-to-answer question in Friday’s pre-tournament news conference. Singer, who on Friday was named the national player of the year by the National College Baseball Writers Association, is “as good of a competitor as we’ve ever had” O’Sullivan said.
Texas Tech coach Tim Tadlock, whose Red Raiders beat the Gators in the 2016 CWS, said Singer was on the second page scouting report then, but now takes up a lot of Page 1.