By
|
Florida Today
Published: June 08, 2012
Updated: June 08, 2012 - 4:14 PM
Florida is two wins away from advancing to the College World Series for the third year in a row. It's something the Gators have waited for all year after finishing as runner-up last season.
Florida started the year ranked No. 1 and finished as the top seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Gators (45-18) host N.C. State (43-18) in best-of-three Super Regional play starting at 2 p.m. Saturday. The second and third game, if necessary, will be played at 1 p.m. on Sunday and Monday.
Already, it has been a crazy week. Nine Gators players were drafted by major league teams, four in the first two rounds. Catcher Mike Zunino, the No. 3 overall pick by the Seattle Mariners in the MLB draft, was selected as a finalist for the Howser Trophy, baseball's version of the Heisman. UF coach Kevin O'Sullivan also saw a chunk of his recruiting class go high in the draft.
Distractions? Sure.
But the thing that should keep Florida focused is the bitter memory of coming up just short of the school's first national baseball title last June.
"Every year since I've been here we've gotten a little closer and a little closer,'' said outfielder Preston Tucker, a senior and a seventh-round draft pick of the Houston Astros. "Our team has gotten a little more talented, a little more experienced. ... We all have a common goal and that's to win the World Series. I know that's on everyone's mind.''
Tucker, a former standout at Tampa's Plant High, could have signed a professional contract last year but returned for one last shot at winning the CWS.
"There's not a whole lot of players who were a member of the first championship team at a school,'' said Tucker, who became UF's all-time hits leader this season. "I think I'd really like to be a part of that."
The Gators hit well in the regional, finishing it off with a 15-3 win against Georgia Tech last Sunday. But Florida also has played well defensively (53 errors all season) and has a deep pitching staff. Hudson Randall (8-2, 2.83 ERA), who went in the seventh round to the Detroit Tigers, will start today's game.
After that, O'Sullivan would likely turn to Brian Johnson (8-4, 3.56), the first-round pick of the Boston Red Sox, or sophomore Jonathon Crawford (6-2, 2.92), who pitched a no-hitter in the regional. Karsten Whitson (3-0, 3.30) is another option.
"We really base ourselves on pitching and defense,'' Zunino said. "Obviously we've been able to swing pretty well of late and that gets some attention, but as long as we can pitch and play defense that will keep us in the games for the most part. ... Everything seems to start clicking, everyone seems to get on the same page, everyone is having unselfish at-bats and making great plays in the field."
Zunino could face one of his biggest tests against N.C. State. Trea Turner (.344 average) of Lake Worth leads the nation in stolen bases with 56 in 60 attempts.
"I take it as a challenge and so does our pitching staff," Zunino said. "Our biggest thing is if he gets on (base), hold him there. We really work hard on holding runners, changing ourlooks up and hopefully just try to limit him as much as we can."
Despite the hectic week, O'Sullivan says his team is in "a good place."
"We've handled this whole draft thing as well as we probably could this year," he said. "The players have been very mature about it."
O'Sullivan has watched tape of N.C. State and says this won't be an easy return to the CWS. The Wolfpack will start 6-foot-3, 234-pound left-hander Carlos Rodon (9-0, 1.61) in the opener. He's hit the mid-90s with his fastball and, like Turner, was a freshman All-America selection. He's recorded 132 strikeouts in 111 2/3 innings.
"They've got good pitching," O'Sullivan said. "They've got two really good starters. I think their lineup is good, it's really good. They've got some power in their lineup, they've got some pop."
nicki minaj grammy jason whitlock adele beach boys tony bennett joe walsh the civil wars
কোন মন্তব্য নেই:
একটি মন্তব্য পোস্ট করুন