Gators confident in title series with Tigers
OMAHA, Neb. — Before every game, Florida’s JJ Schwarz finds a moment to pray. Often that moment comes in the locker room or a hallway, away from the view. Saturday was different. Following the national anthem prior to Florida’s 3-0 win against TCU, most of the Gators left the first base line to return to the dugout. Schwarz and Deacon Liput stayed behind, each taking a knee. Schwarz bowed his head, and tapped the ground with a fist.
“I always find time to pray to myself and thank God for giving me the opportunity to glorify Him. That seemed like a good time to do it,” Schwarz said.
Schwarz doesn’t know when the moment will come tonight as Florida takes on LSU in Game 1 of the College World Series championship round. But it will happen.
“It’s very important to me to take some time out of my day to thank Him,” Schwarz said.
Schwarz, son of former Major Leaguer Jeff Schwarz and brother of former Gators softball standout Taylor Schwarz, is sixth all-time in runs batted-in at Florida. He needs one more to move into fifth place, but the hits have been elusive during the past
week.
Schwarz is 2-for-16 at the CWS, the latest turn in an unpredictable season.
Schwarz’ batting average fell to .228 in mid-April, but a 2-for-6, four-RBI game against Vanderbilt led Schwarz on a tear that culminated with home runs in the final two games of the Super Regional win against Wake Forest.
Schwarz had a double, but also three strikeouts, Saturday against TCU.
“I’m not really sure,” Schwarz said of the week in Omaha. “I hit three hard balls against Louisville and ended up 0-for-4, that’s tough. But we’re winning.”
Schwarz isn’t the only one struggling in Omaha. Jonathan India is also 2-for-16 while Ryan Larson is 0-for-14.
The Gators hit .262 in the regular season — the lowest mark in coach Kevin O’Sullivan’s 10 seasons — but Florida is 50-19 because of stellar defense and dominant pitching. It’s a formula that “hasn’t always been pretty,” O’Sullivan said, but one that could lead Florida to its first national championship.
“A lot of people say we can’t hit,” catcher Mike Rivera said. “All we have is three starters, but those people don’t understand what we go through. They don’t understand our mentality, but we’re here now.” A rematch
Florida won two of three games against LSU in late March. Brady Singer, who will start for Florida tonight, was overwhelming in one of them, throwing a complete game while allowing one run, six hits and no walks in a 3-1 win. Singer said his slider and changeup worked well that day, producing a lot of groundball outs.
“He’s one of the best pitchers in the country. We’ve seen him two years now and haven’t had a lot of success off of him. Not many people have,” LSU shortstop Kramer Robertson said.
Robertson, and others players at Sunday’s press conference, though, said that series three months ago has little bearing on the one at hand.
“They had the injury bug when we played them and didn’t have their full team,” Robertson said. “And we really didn’t have the emergence of [center fielder] Zach Watson and [catcher] Michael Papierski, and still didn’t have hats in the bullpen.” Pitching mystery
The Tigers’ starting pitcher hadn’t been determined as of Sunday afternoon, though coach Paul Mainieri is certain who it won’t be. He announced Alex Lange, who was brilliant Friday in a win against Oregon State, would start if there’s a Game 3 Wednesday. Jared Poche, LSU’s alltime wins leader, will start Tuesday in Game 2. Eric Walker, a junior, left a game earlier in the CWS with a forearm injury and will not pitch again this season. Caleb Gilbert is unavailable after throwing 97 pitches in Saturday’s win against Oregon State.
“There will be some sort of combination of guys [Monday]. I just don’t know who will be starting,” Mainieri said.
While O’Sullivan is certain about Singer in Game 1, the rest is up in the air. Alex Faedo, Florida’s brilliant first-round draft pick, is not an option after throwing 7
1⁄3 shutout innings Saturday. Freshman Tyler Dyson is a possibility for Game 2. Dyson threw five shutout innings in the Super Regional clincher against Wake Forest — by far his longest game of the season. Closer Michael Byrne, who has made three starts, is also an option.
“We’re kind of shorthanded there,” O’Sullivan said.
Jackson Kowar, who last threw on Friday, might start Game 3, O’Sullivan said. Injury report
Dalton Guthrie is hopeful to play tonight. The shortstop left Saturday’s game in the third inning in obvious pain while suffering from back spasms.
“He seemed in good spirits,” O’Sullivan said. “He feels confident going [Monday] night. But that obviously will be up to the training staff.”
Less clear is the status of relief pitcher Garrett Milchin, who left Friday’s game against TCU with an undisclosed injury. O’Sullivan said Sunday that Milchin would need an MRI before returning. SEC flavor
This is the third time the Gators have been in the College World Series final. They were swept in 2005 by Texas and in 2011 by South Carolina. It is also the fifth time two teams from the same conference have played in the final.
“It’s an SEC showdown,” Florida’s Nelson Maldonado said. “They’re great; I tip my cap to them.”