The Florida Gators defeated the TCU Horned Frogs by a 3-2 score on Wednesday afternoon to advance to the Men's College World Baseball Finals. They did so in dramatic fashion, too, with redshirt freshman outfielder Michael Robertson playing a key role in both halves of the ninth inning.
Robertson only entered the game in the top of the ninth, when he subbed in as a pinch-runner on second base in a tied game. He would advance to third on a tag-up opportunity before, which set the stage for him to score the go-ahead run on an infield single off the bat of Cade Kurland:
Robertson would remain in the game in center for the bottom of the ninth, with likely top-three pick Wyatt Langford moving to left. That proved to be an important decision on the Gators' part, since here's how the game ended:
That's Robertson denying potential first-round pick Brayden Taylor of extra bases with a fantastic grab. For whatever comfort it is, Taylor's launch angle and exit velocity would have been a hit, if not a home run, virtually anywhere else.
Robertson, who previously attended Venice High School in Sarasota, Fla., appeared in 63 games for the Gators this season. He hit .232/.359/.281 with a home run and 11 steals on 15 tries. None of that mattered on Wednesday, as he ended up playing the hero, the way so many role players have in Omaha history.
The Gators will await the winner of Wake Forest-LSU. This part of the tournament is played under double-elimination rules. The Demon Deacons have yet to lose, meaning they'll have two chances if need be. The Tigers, conversely, will be eliminated with a loss. Whichever team advances will then play a best-of-three set against the Gators for the national title.
