As every game has gone so far in the 2024 College World Series, Florida’s 3-2 loss to Texas A&M on Saturday night was an instant classic.
Bad weather delayed first pitch in Omaha until 11 p.m. ET, pushing the game’s final moments beyond the 2 a.m. mark. Naturally, the drama came at the end of the game.
Trailing by three runs for most of the night, Dale Thomas finally broke through in the seventh with a double into the left-field corner. Tyler Shelnut scored from third after hitting a two-bagger of his own and advancing a base on a wild pitch. Brody Donay moved Thomas over with a sacrifice bunt and Michael Robertson got him in with a grounder to the left side.
Thomas’ double was the team’s only base hit with a man in scoring position, though. The Gators stranded 10 baserunners overall and went 1-for-11 with RISP.
A bases-loaded opportunity in the eighth gave Thomas another opportunity to make some magic, but a soft grounder to second ended the frame following a quick review. Thomas nearly beat it out and tied the game, but Texas A&M first baseman Ted Burton kept his toes on the bag to get one of the most important outs of the game.
Florida’s chances for a comeback weren’t finished there, though.
In the ninth, Robertson made sure that Jac Caglianone got an at-bat with an infield single. For a guy who struggled with the lefty-lefty matchup earlier in the year, Robertson has figured out how to slap something the other way and use his speed to get on.
Before Cags stepped to the plate, Cade Kurland nearly hit a go-ahead home run to right. It looked like the ball would clear the wall, but Jace LaViolette leaped up and robbed at least one run — probably two. Kurland couldn’t believe it, the Aggies fans couldn’t believe it. A game of inches.
Caglianone worked the count full and walked, putting the go-ahead run on base, but Ashton Wilson couldn’t figure out one of the best closers in the country and struck out to end the game.
It was a deflating moment in a game that felt competitive at the very end, but Florida is lucky this one didn’t get out of hand earlier. Freshman Liam Peterson didn’t have what his best stuff and was pulled after 2 1/3 innings.
Fisher Jameson was excellent in relief despite two walks to start off the outing. He allowed just one hit and struck out three over three innings of work. Cade Fisher followed Jameson in relief. He faced one batter and earned two out thanks to a LaViolette double play that ended the sixth.
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