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Florida Baseball: Get to know Gators' CWS opponent Oral Roberts

Untitled designby:Nick de la Torre•06/18/23•

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Oral Roberts center fielder Jonah Cox makes a catch in Friday's CWS game against TCU. Cox is a player to watch in Sunday's Florida-Oral Roberts matchup at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb. (Photo: Dylan Widger/USA TODAY Sports)

OMAHA, Neb. — If winning game one was important to start the College World Series is important, winning game two is even more so. The Florida baseball team will take on the Cinarealla of the College World Series in the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles on Sunday night in the College World Series.

The Golden Eagles won the Summit League regular season and the conference tournament. That earned them a four-seed in the Stillwater Regional. They swept the regional with wins over the Cowboys, Washington Huskies, and Dallas Baptist. That earned them a trip to Eugene, Oregon, where the Golden Eagles dropped the first game to the Ducks but went 2-0 in elimination games to make it to the College World Series.

The Golden Eagles rallied from a three-run deficit to defeat TCU, 6-5, in the opening game of the 2023 NCAA College World Series Friday afternoon. Blaze Brother played the hero for ORU as the senior belted a three-run go-ahead homer in the ninth over the left-field bullpen. The long ball marked the 12th of the season for the Lowell, Arkansas, native.

“That’s not the first time we’ve had to overcome some adversity in the postseason,” Oral Roberts coach Ryan Folmar said. “We’re down 8-0 in the second inning in the regional to Washington, a really good club. We blew an 8-0 lead and had to come back and win a series after Game 1 in Eugene. So been there, done that.”

Florida Baseball vs Oral Roberts pitching matchup

The Golden Eagles will turn to senior left-hander Harley Gollert on the mound Saturday. Gollert holds a 10-1 record to go along with a 4.30 ERA and 88 strikeouts. The senior’s 10 wins are the most by a Golden Eagle since 2017.

The Gators will throw Hurston Waldrep on Sunday evening. Waldrep has been spectacular in the NCAA Tournament, winning a pair of starts while striking out 25 in 15 innings.

Oral Roberts snapshot

Record: 52-12
Regular Season: 43-11 (Summit League champions)
Record vs. CWS Field: 1-0 (vs. TCU)
Coach: Ryan Folmar, 11th year (371-222, .626)
All-Time CWS Record: 2-2
CWS Appearances: 2 (1978, 2023)
CWS Titles: 0
Road to Omaha: Stillwater Regional — W vs. Oklahoma State 6-4; W vs. Washington 15-12; W vs. Dallas Baptist 6-5; NCAA Eugene Super Regional — L vs. Oregon 9-8; W vs. Oregon 8-7; W vs. Oregon 11-6; College World Series — W vs. TCU 6-5.

Defying the odds

The NCAA Tournament has changed over the years. The current format has been around since 1999 and only one four-seed from a Regional has ever won the title — Fresno State, 2008. Along with Fresno State and Oral Roberts, only one other four seed has reached the College World Series. In 2012, Stony Brook made it to Omaha after starting in the Coral Gables Regional. After losing its second game, Stony Brook came back through the elimination bracket to win the regional. It went on to eliminate LSU in the Baton Rouge Super Regional.

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