With no outs in the eighth inning, Ryan Larson slowly inched off of first base and Dalton Guthrie stood patiently at third.
After recording only one hit all game, it was Florida’s best chance to score.
But Virginia’s right-hander Josh Sborz continued his team’s dominance from the bullpen, and the Cavaliers (41-22) went on to hand the No. 5 national seed Gators (50-18) a 1-0 loss Monday night, UF’s first of the College World Series.
“Both teams played at a very high level, both starting pitchers were outstanding,” coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “It just came down to one at bat.”
The loss was the Gators’ first since May 20, and they were shut out for just the third time all season, in large part due to the Cavalier’s two pitchers: Brandon Waddell and Sborz.
Waddell limited UF to two hits through seven innings and held the Gators to a .070 batting average, their worst of the postseason.
“He did a really good job mixing his pitches,” second baseman Dalton Guthrie said of Waddell. “He was throwing changeups and curve balls in weird counts and he wasn’t missing. We just didn’t make the adjustment.”
A.J. Puk (9-4) struck out five batters and allowed one run through 5.1 innings, but Florida’s offense couldn’t supplement its pitching staff with any production at the plate. Peter Alonso and Larson were the only Florida players to record a hit.
After loading the bases in the sixth inning, Puk was pulled for right-hander Taylor Lewis, and Virginia’s Robbie Coman hit a sacrifice fly to center field to give UVA a 1-0 lead over the Gators.
Next, Florida will face Miami in a first-round rematch and elimination game on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
“I trust our guys, we’ll have to bounce back,” O’Sullivan said. “Obviously everybody is disappointed right now, but we have no choice but to move forward.”
Follow Ian Cohen on Twitter @icohenb
Florida players watch from the dugout during the Gators' 1-0 loss against Virginia in the NCAA Men's College World Series on Monday, June 15, 2015 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha.
