WATCH: Ty Evans, Wyatt Langford mash monster homers for the Florida Gators at College World Series
Ty Evans started the Florida Gators’ rally Friday night. Wyatt Langford kept it going. Luke Heyman finished it off.
In Florida’s thrilling 6-5 comeback win over Virginia in the opening-round of the College World Series, homers by Evans and Langford — and a sacrifice fly by Heyman — in the bottom of the ninth electrified the crowd in Omaha, Neb. — and sent the Gator Nation into a frenzy.
Here’s how it unfolded …
With things looking bleak for the Gators, Evans led off the bottom of the ninth by crushing an 89 mile per hour pitch from left-hander Jake Berry that was left over the middle of the plate. That made it 5-4 and gave the Gators life. It was Evans’ fifth home run of the season and came on a 2-1 pitch.
He went 2-for-2 in the game.
Florida wasn’t done. Far from it.
Langford followed with a 456-foot blast to left two batters later on a 1-0 count from Berry. That pitch was traveling only 82 mph before being sent toward the moon from the Gators’ star slugger and likely first-round draft pick.
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For Langford, it was blast No. 19 this season and his only hit in the game. That made it 5-all.
The Florida Gators excel at hitting the long ball
“We had a chance to hit the ball out of the yard,” Gators coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “With one swing of the bat, you can hit a two-run or a three-run homer. Feel like you can get back. Not like we had to string together three, four, five hits in an inning to score. It was really important. Even though we gave up the running in the ninth to fall down two, like I said, Ty’s home run got us within one. And obviously then Cade came up and struck out. But then I think it was a change-up that Wyatt got that he hit and obviously you guys saw the rest of the game.
A single by Jac Caglianone, a walk, and a hit by pitch loaded the bases with one out and set the table for Heyman to deliver his game-winning sac fly.
When it was over, a jubilant Florida Gators dugout wildly celebrated.
Florida (51-15) is now 1-0 in Omaha and will next play Oral Roberts in the winner’s bracket. Oral Roberts beat TCU 6-5 on Friday. Those two teams will play Sunday at 7 p.m.
The Gators are seeking the second national title in program history.
Here’s a look back at everything that transpired Friday night in Omaha: How it Happened: Florida Gators win walk-off thriller to beat Virginia at College World Series
Additionally, let’s see how social media responded to Florida’s stunning rally: Social Slant: Twitter reacts to the Florida Gators’ College World Series win over Virginia
