Three thoughts on Florida baseball's opponent for the College World Series final

OMAHA, Neb. — In February nearly 300 Division I baseball teams started a season. Only two remain. The Florida baseball team will meet the LSU Tigers on Saturday for the 2023 College World Series final and a National Championship.

Florida and LSU did not face each other in the regular season or the SEC Tournament. Two of the best teams in the SEC will get a chance to play this season, in Omaha for a title.

Here are three thoughts on Florida baseball’s opponent for a National Championship.

What does LSU have left on the mound?

The Tigers have taken a long path to get to the CWS final. LSU lost its second game in Omaha and has had to play and win three consecutive elimination games to get to this weekend. What do they have left in the bullpen?

Ty Floyd – The likely starter for LSU on Saturday. Floyd is 7-0 on the season in 16 starts. He holds a 4.53 ERA and 103 strikeouts to 36 walks on the year.

Riley Cooper – No, not the former Gators receiver. Cooper followed LSU manager Jay Johnson from Arizona. He is second on the team with 30 appearances. Cooper has a lower 3/4 slot, and doesn’t throw hard but keeps hitters off balance. He threw 82 pitches in a five-day span so far in Omaha, including 40 & 20 on back-to-back days.

Nate Ackenhausen – More of an over-the-top delivery. His fastball has a lot of run. Ackenhausen is the likely starter for game two.

Griffin Herring – A left-handed pitcher who throws heat and a lot of strikes. Herring threw 80 pitches on Thursday night, so he won’t be available until at least Sunday but more likely that the third “if necessary game.”

Gavin Guidry – Guidry came to LSU and was set to be the shortstop of the future. Several injuries to the Tigers’ staff moved the two-way player in high school to the bullpen. He’s a right-handed pitcher crazy curveball & slider. He’s been a dominant closer for the Tigers and he’ll be fresh to come out of the bullpen on Saturday.

Blake Money: A former Friday night guy, Money has made 19 appearances out of the bullpen for LSU. He has a 1-0 record and a 5.67 ERA on the season.

These Tigers can hit

The Florida baseball team is looking at a very similar offensive opponent. LSU has mashed 138 home runs this season. The Tigers are batting .307 as a team and have four players with at least 50 RBI on the year, led by Tommy White, whose walk-off home run against Wake Forest gave him 100 on the season.

The lineup starts with center fielder and All-American Dylan Crews. Crews and Florida’s Wyatt Langford have been compared all season long. LSU’s center fielder is batting .423 on the season with 104 hits, 69 RBI, and 18 home runs.

It’s not just Crews. LSU’s lineup is arguably as good and as dangerous as Florida’s. White — an N.C. State transfer — has been fantastic. He has 100 RBI, 95 hits, and 23 home runs this season batting behind Crews. First baseman Tre’ Morgan is hitting .314 with 27 extra-base hits and 50 RBI on the season.

LSU’s lineup is deep just like Florida’s. Hayden Travinski (.375, 10 HR) is dangerous. Brayden Jobert is hitting just under .300 with 12 homers of his own. Alex Milazzo plays great behind the plate and is batting .292. Gavin Dugas is hitting .282 with 16 homers.

It’s a daunting lineup for the Gators’ pitching staff to navigate.

Will the Florida baseball team see Paul Skenes?

Paul Skenes is a favorite to be picked first overall in the 2023 MLB Draft. He’s a 6-6 right-hander with a flamethrower for a throwing arm. Skenes’s fastball can reach 102 and he’s been an absolute workhorse for the Tigers down the stretch.

The catch?

Skenes has already thrown twice in Omaha and threw 120 pitches on one-day short rest Thursday night. The advantage Florida has is rest — the Tigers will not be afforded the same luxury. Like all college starting pitchers, Skenes has thrown once a week this season. That gives starters six full days to rest between starts. He threw 123 pitches on June 17 against LSU and then 120 five days later. That’s a lot of work in a week’s span.

It’s highly unlikely that Skenes would be able to start, even in an “if necessary” game on Monday. LSU could make the decision to use him sparingly out of the bullpen, similar to how Florida used Jackson Kowar to close game two out against LSU in 2017.