South Carolina Downs Florida, 5-2, To Repeat As National Champion

South Carolina (55-14) claimed its second-straight national championship by defeating Florida (53-19), 5-2, to sweep the best-of-three CWS Championship Finals in front of a record crowd of 26,721 fans at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha on Tuesday night. The Gamecocks plated three runs in the third inning and relied on the stellar pitching of junior left-hander Michael Roth (14-3) to become the first program since Oregon State in 2006-07 to take home the College World Series title in back-to-back seasons. USC also extended its own NCAA records with its 16th Tourney win in a row and 11th-consecutive CWS triumph.  

Roth limited the Gators to two runs on five hits over 7.2 innings to earn the win, while redshirt sophomore Matt Price finished the game by retiring all four batters he faced to collect his 20th save. CWS Most Outstanding Player senior Scott Wingo was 1-for-3 and drove in a couple of runs and junior Peter Mooney went 2-for-3 with a double during the three-run third and had a solo homer in the sixth.  

Freshman Karsten Whitson (Chipley, Fla.) (8-1) took the loss for UF after a 4.2-inning stint in which he gave up four hits and three runs (one earned) and sophomore Mike Zunino (Cape Coral, Fla.) was 3-for-3 and belted his 19th homer to pace the squad’s offense. Senior outfielder Bryson Smith (Watkinsville, Ga.) and sophomore third baseman Cody Dent (Boynton Beach, Fla.) represented the Orange and Blue on the 2011 NCAA College World Series All-Tournament Team.

Florida had two runners aboard with one down in the first inning but could not push anything across against Roth. Smith opened the game with an eight-pitch at bat that resulted in a single up the middle, increasing his hitting streak to 15 games. Sophomore Nolan Fontana (Winter Garden, Fla.) advanced Smith to second base with his 11th sacrifice hit and Zunino drew a walk for two Gators on base. Roth worked out of the jam by having junior Preston Tucker (Tampa, Fla.) and senior Josh Adams (Jacksonville, Fla.) fly out to center field on back-to-back pitches.

After Wingo was hit by a pitch to begin the home part of the first, Whitson fanned junior Jackie Bradley, Jr., and had sophomore Christian Walker (2-for-4) tap into an inning-ending 4-3 double play.

The Gamecocks erupted for three runs on two hits and a critical Gator error in the third to build a 3-0 advantage. Mooney led off with a double into left field and was sacrificed to third base by senior Robert Beary. Sophomore Evan Marzilli drew a walk for runners on the corners and one down and Wingo’s sacrifice fly to right field was deep enough for Mooney to give USC a 1-0 lead. Whitson issued a two-out walk to Bradley, Jr., and then Fontana committed an error on a grounder by Walker that allowed Marzilli to score the second run and Bradley, Jr., to occupy third base. An infield single by senior Brady Thomas (2-for-4) brought home Bradley, Jr., for a three-run margin before senior Adrian Morales grounded out to end the inning.

Zunino started the fourth with his team-leading 19th homer to left field on a 1-2 offering from Roth to narrow the gap to 3-1. His blast tied the Gator single-season record for round-trippers by a catcher with David Ross (1998) and Tony Socarras (2000). It was just the third homer surrendered by Roth all season.

Whitson plunked junior Jake Williams to open the bottom of the frame and Mooney sacrificed his teammate over with a bunt. Whitson countered by having Beary fly out to right field and Marzilli ground out to hold the deficit at two runs.

Florida threatened in the fifth, as sophomore Brian Johnson (Cocoa Beach, Fla.) was hit by a pitch to begin the stanza and redshirt sophomore Vickash Ramjit (Miami, Fla.) followed with a base-hit into right field. However, Dent struck out trying to bunt and Roth had Smith ground into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.

Whitson retired the first two South Carolina hitters of the fifth before Walker and Thomas connected on back-to-back singles into left field. The right-hander hit Morales to load the bases and was replaced by redshirt junior Tommy Toledo (Tampa, Fla.). Over 4.2 innings, Whitson gave up four hits, three runs (one earned), with four strikeouts, three hit batters and two walks. Toledo put out the fire with a huge strikeout of Williams to keep the count at 3-1.

The Gators again put their first two batters aboard in the sixth but came away empty-handed. Fontana led off by being hit by a pitch and Zunino roped a single into left field. Roth struck out Tucker and had Adams ground out, moving both runners into scoring position, and the southpaw had junior Daniel Pigott (Ormond Beach, Fla.) ground out to complete the frame.

Mooney extended USC’s lead to 4-1 by starting the home portion of the inning with homer into the right-field bullpen. It was his fourth homer of the year and the Gamecocks’ first of the NCAA College World Series. Toledo (0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R) had Beary pop up to Adams and was replaced on the mound by Johnson, who was making his first appearance as a pitcher since May 28 at the SEC Tournament. Marzilli greeted the left-hander with a double down the left-field line and Johnson answered by having Wingo fly out and Bradley, Jr., strike out.

In the Gamecocks’ seventh, Walker led off with a single up the middle and Morales sliced a one-out double into left field to prompt a pitching change. Junior Anthony DeSclafani (Freehold, N.J.) took over for Johnson (1.0 IP, 3 H) and struck out Williams before turning it over to junior Steven Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.), who had Mooney ground out to hold the score at 4-1.

Zunino doubled with one out in the eighth and went to third on a grounder by Tucker, ending the night for Roth. Over 7.2 innings, the lefty scattered five hits, permitted two runs, totaled six strikeouts and issued two walks. Adams brought the Gators within 4-2 with a two-out RBI single into right field off senior John Taylor. Price was summoned from the bullpen and struck out junior pinch hitter Tyler Thompson (Tequesta, Fla.) to preserve the two-run lead.

South Carolina answered with an RBI single by Wingo in the bottom of the inning to finalize the 5-2 margin. Beary punched a leadoff single up the middle and was sacrificed into scoring position by Marzilli. A wild pitch by Rodriguez advanced Beary to third and Wingo blooped a single over the drawn-in infield to help the Gamecocks re-claim a three-run cushion. A grounder by Bradley, Jr., put Wingo on second and the Gators elected to walk Walker intentionally. Junior Greg Larson (Longwood, Fla.) was brought into the game for Rodriguez (1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R) and had pinch hitter Adam Matthews ground out. South Carolina held a 10-6 advantage in hits and did not commit any errors.

Gators Leave Omaha with an Empty Feeling after Too Few Hits and Two Losses to Gamecocks

All one had to do was watch the Gators slowly pack their belongings in the visiting dugout at TD Ameritrade Park on Tuesday night to understand how much.

Players hugged coaches. They hugged the team’s support personnel. They hugged each other.

The ride was over and it came to a screeching stop.

On the field South Carolina celebrated its second consecutive national championship after a 5-2 win in Game 2 of the College World Series championship final. The Gators came to Omaha wanting to experience what the Gamecocks first got to a year ago.

They were denied by a South Carolina team that played better than they did.

“They did what they needed to do,’’ junior outfielder Preston Tucker said. “We didn’t.”

When the Gamecocks needed a clutch hit, they got it. When they needed to make a defensive play in the field, they made it. When they needed to move a runner up or get a key out, they did it.

“They earned this one,’’ Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “They were a little bit better than us in all phases. They pitched a little bit better. They hit a little bit better. They played a little bit better defense.’’

The Gators arrived here as the favorites in the eyes of many who cover college baseball year-round. They hit for power. They hit for average. They play good defense. Oh, and all those arms. The Gators’ pitching staff was arguably the deepest in the nation from top to bottom.

That made the Gators the team to beat to many close observers.

Florida made it look easy in their first three games, beating Texas and then winning back-to-back games against SEC rival Vanderbilt to advance to the CWS final.

Finally, a true SEC East champion would be crowned. The Gators and Gamecocks stacked up pretty evenly and the best-of-three series would determine the 2011 national champion.

Once the first pitch was delivered Monday night, it soon became clear that the Gamecocks had something on their side hard to define. Call it magic, call it fate, call it whatever you like, but the Gamecocks had that little something that only championship teams have.

And they made plays every time they had to.

Meanwhile, the Gators’ potent lineup, the one that rocked opposing pitchers all season, suddenly looked normal. Florida finished 2-for-18 with runners in scoring position in the two losses, including Tuesday night’s defeat to Gamecocks ace Michael Roth.

Unlike Texas’ Taylor Jungmann and Vanderbilt’s Grayson Garvin and Sonny Gray – the Gators beat all three first-round picks to advance to the championship series – Roth is more of a finesse pitcher. He kept the Gators guessing with an assortment of off-speed pitches Tuesday before finally turning the game over to relievers John Taylor and Matt Price.

All those clutch hits the Gators ripped during the regular season and NCAA Tournament went on vacation two games too early.

“We stuck with our approach,’’ senior second baseman Josh Adams said. “That’s the game of baseball. Some days you can come out on top and other days you look like a fool. ‘’

Sophomore catcher Mike Zunino, the SEC Player of the Year, entered Tuesday night’s game 3-for-16 in the CWS. His bat finally woke up in Game 2 with a homer, double and single.

But he needed help the way the rest of the lineup needed help in Game 1. It just seemed that all the parts stopped working correctly at the most inopportune time. The Gators stranded 17 runners in the two games while scoring only three.

“I’m sure some people wish they had some pitches back, but you stick to your approach and just let the rest fall in place,’’ Zunino said. “We didn’t execute very well with runners in scoring position, but that’s part of the game.’’

The Gators failed to execute in other areas, too.

In Game 2, normally reliable shortstop Nolan Fontana made a costly error that allowed a run to score and keep an inning alive. With Roth looking vulnerable in the first inning and with one out and a pair of runners on base, Tucker and Adams flew out on the first pitch they saw.

The Gators got the lead-off man on base in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings without getting a run home. Freshman starter Karsten Whitson walked a pair of batters in the third that came around to score.

“I kind of started nibbling a little bit,’’ Whitson said. “It wasn’t a very good execution of pitches on my part.’’

You get the idea. It wasn’t a tidal wave that washed Florida’s championship dreams away, but more like steady rain drops that keep adding up.

O’Sullivan felt good about his team’s chances when they arrived at the ballpark for Game 2. Afterward, he accepted reality and hugs from some of his players.

“They came into the game in a really good frame of mind,’’ O’Sullivan said. “We just didn’t do enough, and that’s the bottom line. They just did a little bit more.

“When you get down to a series like this and both teams are fighting for a national championship, that’s what it comes down to. It comes down to a play here, a play there. They played great defense. They just did a little bit more to win a championship.’’

In the end, the bottom line was this: It hurt.

All one had to do was look at Zunino’s red eyes. Or wait out Adams in the postgame press conference as he tried to regain his composure to answer a question.

The Gators came to the CWS hoping to return home with the first national championship trophy in school history.

They leave with another national runner-up trophy like in 2005 when they were swept by Texas in the CWS final.

“It’s just an empty feeling,’’ Zunino said. “Unless you come out here and win it, you are always going to have that feeling. When you can’t achieve the ultimate goal you go after, you just feel empty.’’

Gators fall to Gamecocks in 11 innings in CWS title series Game 1

OMAHA, Neb. — They did it again.

Just when it looked like South Carolina would lose an NCAA playoff game, the Gamecocks escaped Monday night.

As a result, it's the Florida Gators who will be looking to escape elimination tonight.

“It was a frustrating game for us but South Carolina is the defending champ for a reason,” said Florida coach Kevin O'Sullivan. “This thing is a long way from over.”

South Carolina pitcher John Taylor got out of a bases-loaded, nobody-out jam in the bottom of the ninth and Jake Williams threw out Cody Dent in the bottom of the 10th.

“The ball beat me there,” Dent said. “It was thrown to the outside and I tried to slide on the inside. But he got me.”

The Gamecocks then scored an unearned run to beat Florida 2-1 in 11 innings in the first game of the College World Series Finals.

“We had our opportunities but we needed to elevate the ball (in the ninth),” O'Sullivan said. “We've got a good pitcher going (tonight) in Karsten (Whitson). We'll use Brian Johnson, too.”

South Carolina got out of three bases-loaded jams in extra innings when it beat Virginia last Friday night to advance to the Finals.

The Gamecocks have now won a record 15 straight NCAA games.

Florida (53-18) will need to win tonight and again tomorrow night to become the fifth school, and the first SEC school, to win national titles in football, basketball and baseball. South Carolina (54-14) is one win away from back-to-back national championships.

Thriller In Omaha: Gators Fall To South Carolina 2-1 In 11 Innings In CWS Championship Series

South Carolina (54-14) capitalized on a pair of throwing errors by Florida (53-18) in the 11th inning to post a 2-1 victory in the opening game of the 2011 CWS Championship Finals in front of 25,851 fans at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha on Monday night. The Gamecocks can secure their second-straight national title by winning game two of the best-of-three series on Tuesday at 8 p.m. on ESPN, while the Gators will look to force a decisive game three on Wednesday night.

With Florida holding a 1-0 lead with two down in the eighth, USC senior Scott Wingo brought home junior Peter Mooney with the tying run from third base by slicing a 2-2 pitch from sophomore Hudson Randall (Atlanta, Ga.) up the middle.

Florida had a golden opportunity to emerge victorious in the bottom of the ninth, when it had the bases loaded with none out. Sophomore Mike Zunino (Cape Coral, Fla.) earned a free pass on a nine-pitch at bat against senior John Taylor to begin the inning and sophomore Brian Johnson (Cocoa Beach, Fla.) (3-for-5) delivered a single into right field for runners on the corners. Senior Josh Adams (Jacksonville, Fla.) was walked intentionally to load the bases and Taylor had a grounder by junior Tyler Thompson (Tequesta, Fla.) to second baseman Wingo force Zunino at home for the first out. Taylor had junior Daniel Pigott (Ormond Beach, Fla.) ground into an inning-ending 4-2-3 double play to provide the fans with free baseball.

UF had another chance to win the game in the 10th, when Zunino roped a two-out single into left field off Taylor with sophomore Cody Dent (Boynton Beach, Fla.) on second base. However, South Carolina junior left fielder Jake Williams threw a perfect strike to senior catcher Robert Beary to nail Dent at the dish.  

Junior first baseman Preston Tucker (Tampa, Fla.) made a diving stab to rob junior Jackie Bradley, Jr., of a potential leadoff single in the 11th and sophomore Christian Walker (2-for-5) followed with a single into center field to cause another pitching maneuver by UF. Junior Greg Larson (Longwood, Fla.) came in for junior Nick Maronde (Lexington, Ky.) (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 K) and Walker stole second base, went to third on a throwing error by Zunino and scored on an errant throw by senior center fielder Bryson Smith (Watkinsville, Ga.) on the same play to give USC a 2-1 lead. Although junior Adam Matthews drew a one-out walk, Larson had senior Adrian Morales pop up to third base and struck out Williams.  

With the Gators down to their final three outs, Johnson opened the bottom of the inning with a single off redshirt sophomore closer Matt Price and junior Paul Wilson (Lakeland, Fla.) was inserted as a pinch runner. Adams laid down a bunt up the first-base line to push Wilson into scoring position and Price answered with a strikeout of Thompson before having Pigott ground out to pick up his 19th save and increase South Carolina’s NCAA Tournament winning streak to 15 games. Taylor improved to 8-1 with the victory and Maronde (0-1) was charged with the loss.

Randall struck out the first two batters of the contest, Wingo and Bradley, Jr., before Walker doubled down the right-field line. Until the two-out, two-bagger, Randall had set down the last 21-straight Gamecocks he had faced since March 26. Senior Brady Thomas hit a comebacker to the mound that the right-hander fielded and threw over to first base to end the frame.

After Wingo dropped a one-out pop-up in foul territory to extend the at bat, Smith (2-for-4) raised his hitting streak to 14 games with a single through the left side in the home part of the inning. Freshman Forrest Koumas had Tucker fly out to center field and Smith was caught attempting to steal second base to complete the stanza.

Morales reached on a leadoff error by Dent in the second, but Randall responded by setting down the next three batters. The righty caught Beary looking on strikes for his third K to finish the inning.

Dent delivered a sacrifice fly in the third inning that brought home Thompson to break the ice. Thompson had drawn a leadoff walk and moved to second on a grounder by Pigott. Koumas uncorked a wild pitch that advanced Thompson to third and Dent lofted his second sacrifice fly of season into left field to score his teammate. Dent’s seventh RBI of the campaign was his fourth of the NCAA Tournament.

Randall had a stretch of eight-straight Gamecocks retired before Morales singled up the middle with two down in the fourth. The righty countered by having Williams fly out to center field to complete the fourth and put down USC in order in the fifth, including an inning-ending strikeout of sophomore Evan Marzilli for his fifth K. Through five innings, Randall’s 15 outs were evenly distributed: five fly-outs, five groundouts and five strikeouts.

Johnson began the Gator fifth with a base-hit up the middle and was sacrificed into scoring position by Adams. Koumas worked out of the jam by having Thompson and Pigott each fly out.

After Randall notched his third 1-2-3 inning of the contest in the sixth, Koumas registered the first two outs in the bottom of the frame before Smith roped a single into left center for his second hit of the night. The Gamecocks called upon sophomore Tyler Webb to replace Koumas (5.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 4 K, 1 BB) and Tucker scratched out an infield single for a pair of runners aboard. Webb had Zunino fly out to straightaway center field to strand the runners and keep his squad down by a run.

Mooney snapped a run of 10-consecutive USC hitters retired by Randall with a leadoff walk in the eighth and was sacrificed to second by Beary. A fly ball by Marzill moved Mooney over to third base and Wingo tied the game at a run apiece with an RBI single up the middle. Sophomore Steven Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.) replaced Randall (7.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 6 K, 1 BB) and fanned Bradley, Jr. to preserve the stalemate. Smith drew a two-out walk from Webb in the home part of the inning and the reliever had a grounder by Tucker force Smith at second for the final out.

Rodriguez struck out Walker to start the ninth but then surrendered a single into left field by Thomas, who was replaced by pinch runner Matthews. Sophomore Austin Maddox (Jacksonville, Fla.) took over for Rodriguez (0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 K) and induced an inning-ending 6-3 double play by Morales.

Webb threw 2.1 scoreless innings and permitted just one hit before turning the game over to Taylor prior to UF’s ninth. Zunino earned a free pass on a nine-pitch at bat to begin the inning and Johnson delivered a single into right field for runners on the corners. Adams was walked intentionally to load the bases and Taylor had a grounder by Thompson to second baseman Wingo force Zunino at home for the first out. Taylor had Pigott ground into an inning-ending 4-2-3 double play to send the game into extra innings.

Williams began the 10th with a single up the middle and Maddox had Mooney fly out to left field.  A base-hit into right center by Beary gave the Gamecocks two runners aboard and prompted a pitching change, as junior Nick Maronde (Lexington, Ky,) replaced Maddox (1.0 IP, 2 H). The southpaw caught Marzilli looking on strikes and had a grounder by Wingo force Beary at second base to end the inning.

Dent started the Gators’ 10th with a single through the right side of the infield and was sacrificed to second on a bunt by sophomore Nolan Fontana (Winter Garden, Fla.). Taylor had Smith fly out to left field and then walked Tucker intentionally to face Zunino. UF’s catcher came through with a base-knock into left field but Williams fired a bullet to Beary at the plate, who tagged out a sliding Dent to force another frame, which wound up as the final one. 

Florida-S. Carolina rivalry about to heat up again

Florida and South Carolina don't immediately come to mind when you're talking about Southeastern Conference rivalries - unless it's baseball.


The Gators (53-17) and defending national champion Gamecocks (53-14) play their biggest series to date when they meet in the College World Series finals beginning Monday.

Last year, the Gators traveled to Columbia, S.C., the final weekend of the regular season and won two of three to edge out the Gamecocks for the SEC title.

"But they got the last laugh," said Florida catcher and SEC player of the year Mike Zunino. "They got to hold the national championship trophy up."

Three months ago, South Carolina went to Florida and won two of three, and the teams ended up in a three-way tie with Vanderbilt for the best record in the league.

Yes, anticipation for this championship series has been brewing for a while.

"You know, if all you guys went away and there were no fans and we were on the back sandlot, I'm not sure it would be any different," Gamecocks coach Ray Tanner said Sunday.

"I think they love to play. We love to play. Yeah, there's a lot more at stake now than there ever was before. But it's really genuine baseball. Let's go."

Florida will start sophomore Hudson Randall (11-3) against freshman Forrest Koumas (6-1) in Game 1. The Gators will send out freshman Karsten Whitson (8-0) for Game 2.

Tanner said he doesn't know who will pitch the second game. It's possible Michael Roth, who threw 90 pitches in seven innings against Virginia on Friday, will be back on three days' rest.

"My guess is that he'll want to pitch," Tanner said. "If it's a situation where we feel like Michael gives us the best opportunity, we'll run him back out there."

Before coach Kevin O'Sullivan's arrival four years ago, the Gators had failed to make the NCAA tournament in back-to-back seasons for the first time in 20 years.

O'Sullivan said Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley wanted a program that would be competitive year in and year out. O'Sullivan said a team has to get lots of breaks to be in position to play for a national title.

"It was all about consistency and being one of the elite programs in the country," he said. "I've never put a timetable on it. This league is too difficult. I think if you get too far ahead of yourself and look too far ahead, then you'll find yourself in some trouble."

Zunino, Randall, shortstop Nolan Fontana and third baseman Cody Dent were among the freshmen on the 2010 team that reached the College World Series for the first time since 2005.

Preston Tucker, who has a home run and team-leading six RBIs in the College World Series, said last year's 0-2 finish in Omaha left him and his teammates hungry for more.

"We had a different mindset coming in this year," Tucker said. "Last year was the first time for all the guys getting here, and I guess it was a little overwhelming. I know it was for me. But I think everyone's playing a little more comfortable, more relaxed this year, knowing that we have been there before."

Starting pitching was South Carolina's biggest question coming into the season.

Roth, who came out of the bullpen most of last season, has turned into one of the nation's best starters. Colby Holmes has overcome a hand injury the second half of last season to become a dependable starter. Koumas showed he could do the job when he allowed one run in six innings in his first career start, at Florida.

"We really haven't been an imposing team," Tanner said. "And not to discount my guys or anything like that, we're not a team that can throw a crooked number on you. We have to pitch and play defense and stay in the game and win one late."

Florida and South Carolina won three straight to reach the finals. The Gators followed an 8-4 victory over Texas with wins of 3-1 and 6-4 over Vanderbilt.

South Carolina, which has won a record 14 straight NCAA tournament games, has wins of 5-4 over Texas A&M and 7-1 and 3-2 over Virginia, the latter in 13 innings.

Last year, the Gamecocks won six straight after losing their College World Series opener. They won the title game against UCLA on their last at-bat, and this year two of their three wins have come in walkoff fashion.

"I don't know if we amaze ourselves," second baseman Scott Wingo said, "because we just go out there and we fight every inning.

"I'd say getting (to) back-to-back national championships is pretty amazing."

A year after early College World Series exit in 2010, Florida two wins from title

When Texas was eliminated from the College World Series on Monday, heralded coach Augie Garrido summed it up best: "It's not good to be the first interview, the first two [rounds] of the tournament. But that's what we are."

That was Florida a season ago.

Young and confident, the Gators strolled into Omaha content just to get an invitation. That mentality earned them an early ticket home.

The second time around has been much more pleasant.

"I hate to say it, but everybody was just happy we got there last season," senior second baseman Josh Adams said. "It's been a different mentality. Everybody's been in the right frame of mind since we've been out here. We're itching to go win it."

After getting drubbed twice en route to a disappointing two-and-out finish last year, the Gators have totally reversed their fortunes in 2011.

Charged with a businesslike approach, Florida has stormed through three games in Omaha to reach the CWS championship series for the first time since they faced Garrido's Longhorns in 2005.

Starting Monday, Florida will take on defending national champion South Carolina in the best-of-three series.

The Gators' one-year postseason turnaround has been impressive, but not necessarily surprising.

Since February, the Gators have talked about filling that hollow feeling that's haunted them since in-state rival Florida State sent them home last season. They promised things would be different if they got back.

So far, they certainly have been.

"They were a really good team last year but they're older now," Baseball America senior college writer Aaron Fitt said. "Experiencing Omaha before has really helped. [Coach Kevin] O'Sullivan has done a great job managing this whole season with the eye on Omaha."

Last year's core was full of wide-eyed freshman - six, including Park Vista grad Cody Dent, played in UF's elimination game - but those key players have developed into grizzled veterans, pacing the Gators toward what would be their first-ever baseball championship.

For 70 games, Florida has played with a confident, yet centered, all-or-nothing mentality. The Gators have won a school-record 53 games and a conference tournament championship, but each accomplishment has merely been a stepping-stone in self-assurance that the trip to Omaha would be different this time around.

"We knew we had a chance to be really good," O'Sullivan said. "I thought winning the SEC Tournament was big. It gave us confidence and a huge momentum boost going forward."

Florida has rolled into Omaha knowing what to expect, knowing the heartbreak of elimination.

With O'Sullivan's regimented approach, the Gators have shed their lack of maturity and more than prepared for the awaiting circus of cameras and autograph seekers.

According to a six-time national champion, the process has made sense.

"My feelings about that is in being here a few times, that until you've been here, it's hard to play here," Garrido said.

And the Gators still aren't finished.

"We all share a common goal, which is to win, not just be here," star slugger Preston Tucker said. "We're happy we're in the finals, but we're going to be just as disappointed as if we went 0-2 if we lose the series."

UF’s McQuay pulls away to win 400-meter title

Up-and-comer Tony McQuay of the University of Florida won the men’s 400-meter dash at the U.S. outdoor championships Saturday, blowing past former Olympic and world champion Jeremy Wariner over the final 100 meters.


Wariner faded but held off Greg Nixon for second.

The victory over Wariner had McQuay making bold predictions for the world championships, Aug. 27 to Sept. 4 in Daegu, South Korea.

“I want to break the world record. I’ve got my mind set on that,” he said.

Lots of folks have for many years. In fact, Wariner has promised himself a new Ferrari should he break Michael Johnson’s nearly 12-year-old record.

McQuay wasn’t even close to Johnson’s record of 43.18 seconds Saturday, finishing in 44.68. And Wariner, running in Lane 2, needed a late lean — plus some decimal points — to edge Nixon 44.971 to 44.978.

Wariner wasn’t reading too much into this performance, admitting he was behind the collegiate runners at this stage in his training. McQuay was runner-up at the NCAA championships this month.

“They’ve had an indoor season and everything,” Wariner said. “By worlds, I’ll be perfectly fine.”

LaShawn Merritt, the reigning world champion in the men’s 400, wasn’t at nationals as he finishes up a 21-month suspension after testing positive for a banned substance used in an over-the-counter male enhancement product.

Merritt has a bye into the field at worlds, but USA Track and Field’s policy stipulates an athlete needs to run in at least one event at nationals to compete. The board will meet after nationals to determine Merritt’s status.

Allyson Felix held off Francena McCorory at the finish to win the women’s 400 meters in 50.40 seconds, becoming the first woman to win national titles in the 100, 200, and 400. Debbie Dunn was third.

“I felt good throughout, and I feel like I’m learning a lot, how my body feels throughout,” Felix said.

By being the reigning world champion, Sanya Richards-Ross (Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas) has an automatic bid to worlds in the 400 but needs to qualify in the 200. She advanced to Sunday’s semifinals with a solid race at the shorter distance Saturday.

“I felt good. But I have to run faster than I did [Saturday] to make the team,” Richards-Ross said. “I’m up for the challenge.”

Carmelita Jeter, who won the 100 on Friday, had the fastest time in the women’s 200. Former University of Miami great Lauryn Williams finished third in her heat and qualified for the semifinals Sunday.

A watered-down version of the men’s 200 field completed the first round Saturday. There was no Tyson Gay (hip) or Justin Gatlin (sat out after qualifying in the 100). Meanwhile, Wallace Spearmon, still dealing with a nagging Achilles’ tendon injury, didn’t qualify for the next round. Shawn Crawford, the 2004 Olympic champion, had the fastest time, and Walter Dix (Coral Springs High), fresh off his 100 title, moved on, as well.

In the women’s 400 hurdles, Lashinda Demus won in 54.21 seconds. Former Hurricane Ti’erra Brown, the defending national champion, finished fifth in 55.93. Another former Cane, Takecia Jameson, finished eighth.

In the men’s 400 hurdles, defending national champion Bershawn Jackson (Miami Central) finished second in his semifinals heat and qualified for Sunday’s final.

Devon Hill, who just finished his junior season with the Canes, finished last in his heat in the 110-meter hurdles and did not qualify for Sunday’s final.

Jeff Demps stays in the present

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Jeff Demps doesn't seem to have the personality you might expect. Sprinters, 100-meter specialists in particular, are typically more peacock-like, aren't they? Part of the contest among the fastest men in the world is the games they play with each other's minds, right?

And what about running backs, the quickest ones? The now-you-see-him, now-you-don't kind who often seem to evaporate just before they're tackled? Don't they usually have a bit of an attitude, too?

If Demps, who runs the football and races on the track for Florida, has any kind of strutting alter ego, it's very well-hidden. The Gators' leading rusher last year is soft-spoken, not spotlight-seeking.

"He is the best kid I ever coached -- not just talent-wise, but character-wise," said Walter Banks, Demps' mentor at South Lake High in Florida. "He's the one that if there are a thousand people out there waiting for his autograph, he wants to stay until he's signed for everybody. He doesn't want to let anyone down."

Demps has maintained that mindset despite the load he's carried as a collegiate standout in two sports. He's been part of national championship squads on both the gridiron and the track, and the quick assessment of Demps is that it must be grand to have such options. Does he want a professional football career, or will he pursue running track for a living? Who wouldn't relish being in such a position?

Except … as talented as he is, neither is a sure thing. It's not as if it could ever be "bad" to be multi-talented, but in some ways the choices Demps faces could make his life more confusing than if he could just laser-focus on one dream.

So how does he handle it? He tries to always stay in the present. Not in that self-help book sense, but in a training-mindset way.

"It's just natural to me," Demps said recently at the NCAA outdoor track and field championships at Drake University. "I always try to keep distractions out of my mind so I can focus on what's right in front of me. It's second nature to me by now."

But Demps did not have the kind of finish to the outdoor season that he wanted. After winning his second consecutive 60-meter title at the NCAA indoor championships in March, Demps was very good at the start of the outdoor campaign. He ran a wind-aided time of 9.96 seconds in the 100 meters April 16 in Gainesville, Fla.

He was poised to repeat what he'd done outdoors in 2010, when he'd won the 100 and was part of Florida's victorious 4x100 relay team at the NCAA championships. But at the 2011 SEC championships in mid-May, he was disqualified for false starting in the 100, as was his football/track teammate Chris Rainey.

At the NCAA preliminaries in Bloomington, Ind., at the end of the May, Demps ran the 100 in 10.16 -- his best legal-wind time of 2011 -- in the first round of the preliminaries. His subsequent 10.19 moved him into the semifinal round, to be contested at the NCAA championships in Des Moines in June.

But he did not qualify for the final, cramping up as he ran a 10.40 and was third in his heat. Then he was involved in a handoff mishap in the 4x100 relay final, and Florida didn't finish the race.

The Gators, who'd won back-to-back NCAA indoor track championships, fell short of winning the program's first outdoor title with 53 points -- behind Texas A&M's 55 and Florida State's 54.

"My heart goes out to Jeff," Gators track coach Mike Holloway said after the NCAA meet concluded. "We lost the championship by two points, and I know he's blaming himself for that. That's the kind of kid he is. He's a humble, hard-working guy, and I'm just really proud of him.

"If this is Jeff's last collegiate track meet, I'd hate for his career to end on this note. He's a wonderful kid who's done so much for our program. I hope it's not the last time we see him out here."

But will it be? We'll have to wait and see. However, it isn't going to be Demps' final big competitive meet, as he will run in the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships this week in Eugene, Ore.
"Not having things go how you want them to go -- I have to learn from it, get stronger," Demps said of his NCAA meet disappointment. "Now, I just want to come out and work that much harder and get better.

"I felt that it would be a big year outdoors for me. I had some fast times early in the year, and I thought at NCAAs I'd be able to do something crazy. But, it's adversity -- everybody goes through it at some point. It's just how do you overcome it, what do you do to come back."

Holloway isn't sure how to describe the rough patch Demps hit at the end of the collegiate track season except to call it bad luck.

"I can't pinpoint it; it's just one of those things," Holloway said. "He lost his rhythm, and we don't know exactly why. But that's my job as a coach to figure it out and get him ready for the USA meet. He's fine physically."

Demps says that the necessity of being in competitive shape the entire school year -- for football, indoor track and outdoor track -- actually has helped him stay healthy. He hasn't worn down.

"Football prepares me for track, and track prepares me for football. They just carry over," he said. "Very rarely do I have any free time, but I'm so used to it that it doesn't even bother me. If I'm not doing anything, then I'm looking for something to do."

His focus will turn to football fairly soon after the USA meet ends. Demps was the top rusher last season for the Gators, carrying 92 times for a net of 551 yards and three touchdowns. He also caught 18 passes for 116 yards and ran back eight kicks for an average of 32.5 yards.

For his Florida career, he's gained 1,901 yards on 269 carries and 17 touchdowns on the ground. And he's caught 41 passes for 309 yards. Listed at 5-foot-8 and 181 pounds, Demps enters his senior season of football with things left to prove to NFL scouts.

"He's undersized, so it's tougher for him to be an every-down back in the NFL. He's probably more a third-down, scatback type," ESPN.com draft analyst Kevin Weidl said. "And with his track speed, a return specialist. With his size, teams want to see elusiveness. Lateral quickness is huge for a smaller back like that. If you can't run through a tackle, you have to make people miss you -- not only in the open field, but in confined areas.

"We know he's fast, and if he gets in the open field, he's dangerous. But how good is he at getting in and out of traffic at the line of scrimmage?"

Weidl stressed that serious assessment of Demps' draft potential would need to come from more significant tape study after he's navigated his senior season. If Demps is able to get through that in good health, then he'll be faced with the choice that up to now he hasn't had to make: bypassing track to try to earn a job in football. It would seem likely he'll do that, even though he's definitely not ready to say it.

"Deep down inside, I think he really wants to play football," Banks said. "But he just wants to know where football is going to take him."

Florida, South Carolina move on to the College World Series finals

OMAHA, Neb. | It will be an all-Southeastern Conference battle to decide this year’s College World Series champion.

South Carolina advanced to the final by defeating Virginia 3-2 in 13 innings Friday night. They will meet Florida, which sent Vanderbilt home by winning 6-4. The best-of-three championship series starts Monday.

Adam Matthews scored the winning run for South Carolina, 53-14, in the bottom of the 13th inning after Virginia reliever Cody Winiarski botched two throws after fielding bunts.
South Carolina closer Matt Price worked out of bases-loaded situations in the 10th, 12th and 13th innings.

Brady Thomas singled leading off the 13th against Winiarski. Matthews came in to run and advanced when Winiarski pivoted and threw wildly trying to get him at second on Peter Mooney’s bunt. Robert Beary followed with another bunt. Winiarski tried to throw out Matthews at third, but he threw the ball away, allowing the winning run to score.

Floria, meanwhile, eliminated Vanderbilt from its first-ever appearance at the College World Series.
Vanderbilt got off to a strong start as Aaron Westlake, after going one for 18 for the tournament, hit his team-leading 18th homer of the season.

Florida, 53-17, quickly responded. Alex Panteliodis limited Vanderbilt, 54-12, to three hits in six innings before five relievers squandered all of his 4-1 lead.

By the seventh, however, Vanderbilt ensured that Florida would not get an easy trip to the championship. Florida’s first reliever, Tommy Toledo, faced five batters, getting pulled after Connor Harrell’s two-out single made it 4-2. Nick Maronde walked the bases full, then walked Kemp to make it a one-run game in the eighth.

Steven Rodriguez, who held Vandy hitless in 4 1/3 innings of relief earlier in the week, left after giving up back-to-back singles.

Despite a shaky bullpen, Daniel Pigott singled and Cody Dent and Nolan Fontana reached on back-to-back bunts in the eighth before Preston Tucker drove a ball into deep left field. The Gators added another run when Mark Lamm’s breaking ball in the dirt bounced away from Curt Casali, allowing Dent to come home.

Maddox, the closer, earned the win, which was Florida’s fifth in six meetings this season against its Southeastern Conference rival.

"We’re happy we’re in the finals," Tucker said, "but we’re going to be just as disappointed as if we went 0-2 if we lose the series. So we’ll stay focused, bear down at practice and do the same thing we did today – executing.”

Florida Defeats Vanderbilt, 6-4, Will Play For National Championship

The University of Florida will play for the national championship in baseball. 

The Gators used a thrilling 6-4 victory over Vanderbilt on Friday afternoon to reach the Championship Series of the College World Series for the first time since 2005, and just the second time in school history.

Preston Tucker broke a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the eighth with a long RBI single with the bases loaded and then Cody Dent scored on a wild pitch to give the Gators a 6-4 lead.

The Gators will face either South Carolina or Virginia in a best-of-three national championship series beginning Monday night at 8 p.m. on ESPN. Florida is looking for its first national title in baseball.

Vanderbilt grabbed a 1-0 on a solo home run by Aaron Westlake in the first inning, while the Gators tied it in the bottom of the third on an RBI ground out by Preston Tucker and took the lead on a two-run single by Nolan Fontana in the fourth. The Gators added a run in the bottom of the sixth when Daniel Pigott scored when Bryson Smith grounded into a double play with the bases loaded.

The Commodores got back into the game in the top of the seventh when Connor Harrell delivered a two-out RBI single and Nick Maronde walked in a run with the bases loaded. In the top of the eighth the Commodores tied it when Austin Maddox hit Conrad Gregor with a pitch with the bases loaded.

Florida and Vanderbilt are meeting for the sixth time this year and the second time in Omaha. Florida has won four of the first five meetings, including a 5-0 decision in the SEC Tournament title game and a 3-1 decision early this week.

UF sent Alex Panteliodis (6-2, 3.95 ERA) to the mound while Vanderbilt countered with Sonny Gray (12-3, 2.12). For Panteliodis, it was another big start, as he was the pitcher of record in defeating Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament title match, while he also started and won the Gators’ clincher in the regional round against Miami, and started in the Super Regional clincher against Mississippi State.

After getting two quick outs in the first inning, Panteliodis surrendered a solo home run over right field by Westlake to put Vanderbilt up 1-0. Panteliodis responded with a 1-2-3 second inning, a sign of things to come. He went six innings, gave up just three hits, struck out three and surrendered just that one run.

The Gators got back into it in the bottom of the third when Dent triple to open the inning, bringing up the top of the lineup. Dent came in to score on a ground out by Tucker, tying the game 1-1.

In the bottom of the fourth the Gators took their first lead when Josh Adams and Tyler Thompson got back-to-back singles and then Dent walked to load the bases. Fontana delivered a two-out, two-run single to put the Gators up 3-1.

The Gators added to the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Pigott opened the inning with a double down the left field line. After a walk to Dent, Fontana dropped a bunt that was mishandled by Gray and loaded the bases with no one out. Smith grounded into a double play, but Pigott scored easily from third to put Florida up 4-1.

After Panteliodis left the game, the Gators opened the seventh inning with Tommy Toledo. Harrell laced a two-out RBI single to cut the lead to 4-2. With two runners on, the Gators called on Maronde who then walked pinch-hitter Bryan Johns to load the bases, then followed with a walk to Tony Kemp to cut Florida’s lead to 4-3.

In the bottom of the eighth Vanderbilt got singles from Curt Casali and Mike Yastrzemski before the Gators went to the bullpen and brought in Maddox in. For Maddox, it was his first appearance on the mound since May 29 and his first appearance overall since suffering an injury on June 3 vs. Manhattan.

Jason Esposito welcomed Maddox with an infield single to load the bases. A batter later he hit Gregor and the game was tied 4-4. With a chance to break it open, Fontana robbed Harrell of another RBI single with a diving catch to keep the score tied, and a batter later Maddox got Bryan Johns to ground out to end the inning.

The Gators wasted little time responding, however. Pigott opened the inning with a single to right center and then Dent and Fontana each got on safely via bunts to load the bases. Tucker came up and delivered a single over the left fielder to give 

the Gators a 5-4 lead. For Tucker it was his 20^th RBI of the NCAA Tournament.

Dent came in to score on a wild pitch to put Florida up 6-4.

Florida Gators ready for another showdown vs. Vanderbilt

For the second time in four days, two Southeastern Conference titans will clash at the College World Series, this time in a crucial semifinals matchup.

Florida will look to continue its dominance over Vanderbilt at 2 p.m. Friday for a spot in the CWS championship series.

For the sixth time this season, Gators coach Kevin O’Sullivan will oppose Tim Corbin in a meeting pitting former assistant coaches from Clemson.

O’Sullivan and Corbin worked together on Jack Leggett’s staff from 1999 to 2002 before Corbin accepted the head coaching position at Vanderbilt. Despite both coaches building powerhouse programs in the same division and conference, they have remained friends — and friendly rivals.

Although the competition between the Gators (52-17) and Commodores (54-11) has been recently ramped up, the teams are hardly hostile because of the coaches’ relationship on and off the field.

“Me and Tim go back an awfully long way. I care about him deeply,” O’Sullivan said earlier this week. “They’re like family. Tim and I are very, very close. Our families know each other. It goes well beyond the baseball side of things.”

But the stakes between the two have never been as high as they will be Friday.

The Gators defeated the Commodores 3-1 on Tuesday in a weather-suspended contest that began Monday night. On Wednesday, facing elimination, Vanderbilt easily dispatched North Carolina for a rematch with the Gators.

Although Florida holds the scoring edge in the series matchup — the Gators have won four of the five meetings this season — Vanderbilt has more than a puncher’s chance to reach its first CWS championship series.

For the third time in as many games in Omaha, a Major League Baseball first-round draft pick will start on the mound against Florida.

Sonny Gray, the 18th overall pick by the Oakland Athletics this month, will make his second start in Omaha and second appearance this year against UF.

He shut down the Gators (one earned run, two hits) in six sharp innings May 13, but Vanderbilt lost the game.

If Florida loses Friday, it will see another high-pick Saturday — Grayson Garvin is scheduled to start again against the Gators should the Commodores win in the double-elimination tournament.

“It seems to be all we’ve been facing since we’ve been out here,” UF second baseman Josh Adams said. “But we love it. The talent out here is really impressive.”

Junior left-hander Alex Panteliodis, who shut out Vanderbilt for 62/3 innings in the SEC tournament championship game, will start for Florida. He has dominated Vanderbilt in four career appearances, allowing only one run in 131/3 innings (0.68 ERA) with 13 strikeouts.

The decision to start Panteliodis over ace right-hander Hudson Randall possibly stems from Vanderbilt’s struggles against left-handed pitching recently. In the loss Tuesday, Vanderbilt’s five left-handed hitters went 1 for 18 with nine strikeouts.

Vanderbilt has labored scoring against Florida, with only one run in its past 26 innings against the Gators, resulting in three losses by two runs or less.

•  Virginia 8, California 1: Tyler Wilson carried a shutout into the eighth inning and Virginia used a four-run sixth inning to break open a close game and eliminate California from the College World Series.

Virginia (56-11) will face defending national champion South Carolina on Friday. The Cavs would need to beat the Gamecocks on Friday and again Saturday to reach next week’s best-of-3 championship round.

The loss ends an improbable postseason run for California (38-23), which started the year with its program scheduled to be dropped in 2012 for budgetary reasons. A $9 million fund-raising effort saved the program.

Wilson (10-0) allowed five hits over his career-high 72/3 innings. Cal starter Dixon Anderson (4-4) took the loss.

Gators Chandler Parsons, Vernon Macklin picked in NBA draft's second round

University of Florida seniors Chandler Parsons and Vernon Macklin were selected in the second round of The 2011 NBA Draft late Tuesday.

Houston reacquired the 38th overall pick from Minnesota for cash and drafted Parsons, a forward.

The Rockets initially dealt the 38th pick to the Timberwolves as part of a deal that sent the 23rd pick, a future first-round pick and center Brad Miller to Minnesota for 7-foot Lithuanian Donatas Motiejunas and point guard Jonny Flynn.

The 6-foot-9 Parsons averaged 11.3 points and 7.8 rebounds in 36 games for the Gators last season.

The Pistons selected Macklin, a center, with their third and final pick of the draft, No. 52 overall.

Macklin, a 6-foot-10 post player, averaged 11.6 points and 5.4 rebounds in 36 games last season. He joins new teammates Brandon Knight (Kentucky, eighth pick) and Kyle Singler (Duke, No. 33).

- A person with knowledge of the deal says Houston traded the rights to No. 23 pick Nikola Mirotic of Serbia and No. 38 choice Chandler Parsons of Florida, a future first-round pick and center Brad Miller to Minnesota for point guard Jonny Flynn and the rights to 7-foot Lithuanian Donatas Motiejunas, the 20th overall pick.

The Waiting Game: Trio of Gators Hope To Hear Their Names Called At NBA Draft

All the work has been put in, but now comes the really hard part.

The waiting game.

Chandler Parsons, Vernon Macklin and Alex Tyus have traveled across North America in hopes of making their NBA dreams a reality. They’ve done the workouts – Houston, Oklahoma City, Boston, Golden State, Miami, New York, New Jersey, Denver and then some.

With that behind them now, the trio will now wait and see what happens Thursday night when the NBA Draft takes place in New York ( 7 p.m., ESPN).

Reached by phone on Wednesday, Parsons reflected on his past month of workouts, and plans to have a quiet night watching the draft with 15-20 close family and friends in his hometown of Casselberry, Fla.

“The last month has been an absolute grind,” says Parsons. “It’s a lot of fun, you’re traveling around the country, staying in great cities and competing against some of the best players in the world. It’s been an honor to be a part of it.

“It’s exhausting to be in a different city for a different team every day, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It’s been an honor to be a part of this, and I’d do it all over again.”

Parsons’ favorite story? That’s an easy one. It was working out for the Charlotte Bobcats in front of owner and NBA legend Michael Jordan.  During the workout he had several dunks that drew a reaction, and maybe even a smile or two from the basketball icon.

“Just having Michael Jordan watch my workout was crazy.”

The three Gators crossed paths on their journey around the country, Parsons and Macklin both worked out for the Washington Wizards and Oklahoma City Thunder at the same time, while Tyus and Parsons stayed in the same hotel and had workouts a day apart for the New Jersey Nets.

“We tried to keep in touch during all of the workouts,” said Parsons. “I talked to Vernon a lot, we tried to help each other out with guys we’d worked out against and seen. I hear he and Alex did great and we’ll all be pulling for each other tomorrow night.”

Most projections have Parsons going in the late in the first round to somewhere in the second round, while University of Florida head coach Billy Donovan told a Gator Gathering in Orlando on Tuesday night he thought Macklin and Tyus could go in the second round.

If they do hear their names called on Thursday night, it will be the culmination of years of hard work and dreams.

“I really don’t know how I’ll react,” says Parsons. “It’s going to be really emotional if it happens, I’ve waited on this for my whole life. I don’t know if I’ll scream or I’ll cry. Most important, the people that have been here with me from day one will be there with me.”

Vanderbilt ousts Carolina from CWS with 5-1 win

Now comes the really hard part for Vanderbilt.

The Commodores extended their first appearance at the College World Series with a 5-1 victory over North Carolina on Wednesday night.

Their reward is another game against Southeastern Conference rival Florida, which has beaten them in four of five meetings this season.

"We're not thinking, 'How the heck can we beat Florida?' It's not really in the back of our minds at all," Connor Harrell said. "We feel we can compete with them. We feel we match up with them well, but we'll see what happens on Friday. We're going to come in confident."

As well they should after their second CWS win over North Carolina.

Taylor Hill and Corey Williams combined on four-hitter and Harrell and Curt Casali homered for the Commodores (54-11), who led 5-0 in the third inning.

Vanderbilt, which lost 3-1 to Florida on Tuesday, would need to beat the Gators on Friday and again Saturday to reach next week's best-of-three finals.

Hill (6-1) outdueled Greg Holt (7-2) in a matchup of Washington Nationals draft picks.

Hill, taken in the sixth round, allowed a run and four hits in seven innings in his first outing since June 5.

"He did a good job of neutralizing their offense and got us deep into the ball game where we could put Corey in," Vandy coach Tim Corbin said. 

"Connor's home run was big and followed up by Curtis. We did enough offensively to get by."

Holt, an eighth-rounder who was making his second start of the season, lasted 2 2-3 innings. He gave up five runs and four hits, leaving after Casali's homer.

North Carolina (51-16) left nine runners on base for the second straight game and stranded a total of 34 in its three CWS games. The Tar Heels were just 7 for 39 with runners in scoring position.

"That's probably what will be written about," Carolina coach Mike Fox said. "We left a lot of people on base out here for three games, but a lot of that has to do with the other team, and we were facing some pretty good arms. It didn't happen for us."

The Tar Heels couldn't advance a runner past first base after they scored in the fifth.

Hill worked out of trouble that inning after Ben Bunting's bases-loaded RBI groundout left first base open.

Hill intentionally walked All-America Colin Moran with two outs to face Jacob Stallings, who had doubled in his first two at-bats. Stallings fouled off an 0-2 pitch barely outside the left-field line, then swung and missed at a fastball.

"I was just going to give it everything I had," Hill said. "If he hit it, he hit it. But thank goodness he didn't."

Fox said the fifth inning was deflating.

"You're down four and you have the bases loaded and you're thinking to yourself one swing of the bat, ball in the gap and we're right back in 

the game and we get the momentum in our dugout," Fox said. "They were in that situation several times while we were out here, and it just didn't happen for us."

Williams came on to start the eighth and has pitched 5 2-3 scoreless innings in three CWS appearances.

Harrell's three-run homer, aided by a 23 mph wind, put Vanderbilt up 4-0 in the second inning. It was his second in three games here and ninth of the season.

"I just tried to get my hands extended and get that ball in the jet stream and get it into the seats," Harrell said. "The ballpark is big, so to get the ball in the air was important."

The Commodores opened the scoring when Tony Kemp led off the game with a triple into the right-center gap and scored on a sacrifice fly.

North Carolina made it to the CWS for the fifth time in six years after getting knocked out in regionals in 2010.

"You know, we weren't a very good team last year, and then to turn 

around like this and have such a great year with 50 wins, it's a testament to our leadership," Stallings said. "Obviously, we were happy to get here, but once we were here I think we wish we would have played a little better."

UF football lands highly rated kicker for 2012

The Florida Gators have dipped into Georgia's prospect pool yet again.

Atlanta (Ga.) Marist kicker Austin Hardin received an offer from UF Wednesday morning following an impressive performance at the Will Muschamp football camp this week.

Despite offers from Auburn, Buffalo and Tennessee and more surely to come, Hardin had seen all he needed to in Gainesville.

“I knew it was the right place,” said Hardin, who is ranked as the No. 2 kicker in the nation by ESPN. 

“Athletically and academically, it's such a strong school and I really like that about it. It's such a great team and coaching staff and I'm just very excited.”

He gives the Gators 13 commitments for the class of 2012 and the fourth verbal from the state of Georgia.

Hardin holds a 3.85 GPA and said academics were one of the main reasons he chose UF.

“I'm very strong academically in my school, and that's something I didn't want to sacrifice (by) going to a big football school,” Hardin said. “Florida speaks for itself with what they've done on the field, but I wanted a school that could provide both and Florida has the best of both worlds.”

Florida also has early playing time available. Hardin said special teams coordinator D.J. Durkin told him he will handle kickoffs his freshman season and then take over field goal duties once UF redshirt junior kicker Caleb Sturgis graduates.

In 2008, Hardin pictured himself playing a different kind of football in college.

He spent his middle-school years in Bolivia because of his father's work and became an avid soccer player. 

He was a member of the youth national team and won the award for the most goals scored in the South American league.

His family came back to the United States two weeks into his ninth-grade year and he decided to give American football a try.

“He just showed up on our doorstep one day,” said Marist head coach Alan Chadwick. “He came out for football and it was just obvious from the very first moment we saw him that he was a great kicker.”

In fact, Chadwick said he hasn't coached a kicker with Hardin's leg strength in 35 years at Marist (26 as head coach).

“He's potentially the best I've ever had because of the power of his leg,” Chadwick said.

Last season, he hit a 59-yard field goal to beat Southwest DeKalb, 17-14. After the game, the opposing coaches had some high praise for Hardin.

“They said, ‘Man he doesn't need to go to college,” Chadwick said, “he needs to go straight to the NFL.' ”

Hardin said his college recruitment began with that kick. But now that he's committed, the process is over.

“It's shutdown,” Hardin said. “I'm 100-percent Gator.”

Vanderbilt eliminates N. Carolina

OMAHA, Neb. — Taylor Hill and Corey Williams combined on four-hitter, Connor Harrell and Curt Casali homered, and Vanderbilt eliminated North Carolina from the College World Series with a 5-1 victory Wednesday night.

Vanderbilt (54-11) beat the Tar Heels for the second time in the CWS and plays Southeastern Conference rival Florida on Friday. The Commodores are in Omaha for the first time and would need to beat the Gators twice to reach next week's best-of-three finals.

The Commodores have to face a Florida team that has beaten them in four of five meetings this season, including 3-1 at the CWS.

North Carolina (51-16) left 34 runners on base in its three CWS games and was just 7-for-39 with runners in scoring position.

Hill outdueled Greg Holt in a matchup of Washington Nationals draft picks.

Hill, taken in the sixth round, allowed a run and four hits in seven innings.

Holt, an eighth-rounder who was making his second start of the season, lasted 22⁄3 innings. He gave up five runs and four hits, leaving after Casali's homer made it 5-0.

The Tar Heels couldn't advance a runner past first base after they scored in the fifth.

Harrell's three-run homer put Vanderbilt up 4-0 in the second inning.