Florida third base coach Craig Bell congratulates JJ Schwarz (22) after Schwarz hit a grand slam against Florida State in Game 3 of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional in Gainesville, Fla., on Monday, June 13, 2016. Florida won 7-0. (AP Photo/Ronald Irby)
GAINESVILLE — JJ Schwarz took a moment to clear his mind when he stepped into the batter’s box in the fifth inning.
Florida was up 2-0 and was in search of one big hit to all but seal a trip to Omaha, Nebraska, for the College World Series. Schwarz went to the plate with the bases loaded looking to deliver the final blow to Florida State.
And on a 1-0 count from FSU pitcher Jim Voyels, the Palm Beach Gardens native sealed both teams’ fates, hitting a grand slam — and later adding an RBI double — powering the Gators to a 7-0 win and booking a trip to the CWS.
“Going into the at-bat, there was a lot running through my mind,” Schwarz said. “I knew he was going to throw a slider eventually … so I got one over the plate, one that I liked and just put a good swing on it.”
It’s the second straight season Florida (52-14) is heading to Omaha and the 10th time in program history. It’s also the fifth CWS trip in the last seven years under coach Kevin O’Sullivan.
UF entered the season as the top-ranked team in the country, and facing immense pressure the entire year, Florida prevailed and got back to Omaha.
“I just can’t say enough about our team,” O’Sullivan said. “We had the No. 1 ranking going into the season, and we got some guys that are going to be high draft (picks), and it’s very difficult to juggle those things.
The Florida team celebrates a 7-0 win over Florida State in Game 3 of an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional in Gainesville, Fla., on Monday, June 13, 2016. (AP Photo/Ronald Irby)
“I couldn’t be more proud the way they’ve handled the expectations from a team standpoint and how selfless they were individually. I’m just proud we have an opportunity to go back to Omaha.”
Florida opened the scoring after Dalton Guthrie scored on a Cole Sands wild pitch, and Peter Alonso added his fourth postseason home run in the third inning to double the Gators’ lead before Schwarz’s home run ended all hope of a FSU comeback.
After winning the opening game of the Super Regional, Florida State (41-22) didn’t have the pitching depth to match the Gators staff.
FSU left 11 men on base Monday night and failed to capitalize on UF starting pitcher A.J. Puk’s inability to find the strike zone. Florida State got its first two runners on base in the first, but came away with nothing after Puk struck out the next two hitters and got Dylan Busby to line out softly to second.
Once Dane Dunning came in on in relief for the Gators, the Seminoles weren’t able to get anything going offensively. The junior righty pitched 4 ⅓ scoreless innings. FSU was held scoreless for the final 22 innings of the Super Regional.
“We hope and pray that we never come back down here again for a Super Regional,” FSU coach Mike Martin said jokingly. “But I’m proud of these young men and what they accomplished this year.”
Now the Gators shift their attention to Coastal Carolina, who upset eighth-seeded LSU in the Baton Rouge Super Regional, next Sunday at 8 p.m.
After losing two one-run games to Virginia last year in Omaha, the Gators will be motivated to win the program’s first national title.
“I’m excited for this trip to Omaha because we got a lot of unfinished business we need to take care of,” Buddy Reed said.
