Kevin O'Sullivan reveals thought process during final out against TCU

Florida might as well be the Cardiac Kids at the College World Series, having won all three of its games by just one run, with late-inning drama in each of them. Wednesday’s win against TCU was no different.

The Gators led 3-2 after second baseman Cade Kurland managed to push across a run in the top of the ninth inning on an infield single, leaving closer Brandon Neely with a chance to finish off the game.

Neely had taken over on the mound in the eighth inning with a 2-1 lead and had immediately surrendered a run that tied the game.

But he quickly worked through the first two batters in the bottom of the ninth inning, getting a strikeout and a groundout on just five pitches. Then he nearly ran into disaster as TCU third baseman Brayden Taylor stepped to the plate, a stay in the College World Series riding on his bat.

Neely quickly got ahead in the count before losing a pitch ever so slightly.

“He’s 0-2, we called an up fastball,” Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “Obviously he didn’t get it up enough.”

Taylor let it rip, blasting the ball to deep center field. It just kept flying and flying as the collective breath of the Gator Nation was held.

“To be honest with you I thought it had a chance, even on a bad day like today,” O’Sullivan said.

The ball very nearly did carry all the way out. But it came down just short, with center fielder Michael Robertson, a late-game defensive replacement, able to haul it in on a dead sprint at the warning track. Game over. Florida to the College World Series championship series.

O’Sullivan and the rest of Gator Nation exhaled.

“Maybe the camera got me at the final out,” O’Sullivan said. “I think I put both of my arms over the rail and just kind of laid there for like 15 seconds. I just couldn’t believe it. It was a typical way to end the ball game the way things have gone. But Michael made a great play. Good for him.”

Florida’s previous contests at the College World Series had also been heart-stoppers.

The team trailed Virginia 5-3 in the opener going into the ninth inning, when a pair of solo home runs helped Florida tie it up. Then the Gators escaped with a walk-off win when Luke Heyman hit a deep sacrifice fly to center field, keeping the team in the winner’s bracket.

A game against Oral Roberts in the winner’s bracket was a little smoother, with Florida going into the bottom of the ninth inning with a 5-3 lead. The Golden Eagles managed to plate a run to make it a one-score game, and they had runners at the corners with two outs.

Finally, Florida was able to get a flyout to center field for the win.

But all’s well that ends well, and despite the Gators’ penchant for drama, they were the only team to cruise through 3-0 to the College World Series’ championship series.

They’ll take on the winner of tonight’s game between LSU and Wake Forest, which will begin at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.