An unlikely bat rose to the occasion and hit the Gators into the next round of postseason play.
Sophomore Tyler Thompson, who has been stuck at the bottom of the order all year, leads the team with 49 strikeouts and has struggled to provide productive at-bats.
But on Sunday he showed why coach Kevin O’Sullivan has stuck with him through the tough times.
The left fielder became the first Gator in postseason history to drill three homers in a game. He racked up six RBIs along the way to power No. 4 Florida (45-15) past FAU 15-0 and into the NCAA Super Regional. UF outscored opponents 32-5 in the Gainesville Regional.
“I feel really good about this team at this point,” O’Sullivan said. “I think we’re clicking. We are playing really good defense and are pitching well, while getting production from up and down the lineup.”
Thompson got it started in the second inning with an RBI double down the right-field line to drive in freshman Mike Zunino and give the Gators an early 1-0 advantage.
He then followed up back-to-back round trippers from Brian Johnson and Zunino in the third with his first of the night as he crushed a ball over the scoreboard in right field to extend the lead to 6-0.
It continued as he then smacked his second homer in the fifth and capped his night off with a three-run dinger to right-center field in the eighth. Thompson racked up more home runs against the Owls than he had managed to hit all season before Sunday’s performance – which was just two.
“(After the third one) I was just thinking ‘no way,’” Thompson said. “I was just trying to put the ball in play because it was with two strikes against a lefty and I’ve been struggling with that.”
The Gators put on an impressive display of power as they banged a season-high six balls over the fence against FAU (37-24) arms that seemed exhausted from playing four contests in three days.
“There are a couple stretches of games where we are swinging the bats as well as anybody in the (Southeastern Conference), and there are some other games where we are struggling,” said Preston Tucker, who hit a three-run homer in the eighth. “Fortunately we were swinging the bats well this week and we just have to continue that.”
Just one of those home runs was enough for Johnson, who started for UF and threw seven scoreless innings. It was an encouraging performance from the left-hander who came into Sunday’s start with a 10.23 ERA in his last four outings.
“(Johnson) is special,” FAU coach John McCormack said. “He has the chance to be really good in the future, not that he isn’t already there.”
But he didn’t just excel on the mound – Johnson helped himself at the plate too.
He picked up three hits, including a solo home run of his own. Johnson’s success in both aspects of the game led him to be named the regional’s Most Outstanding Player.
The Gators’ pitching staff was tough on hitters the entire weekend. It gave up only five runs in 27 innings while striking out 30 batters.
“I think if you plan on advancing to the College World Series and have a chance to play on the last day of the year – you have to hit, you have to pitch and you have to play defense,” O’Sullivan said.
The rout allowed O’Sullivan to give relievers Tommy Toledo and Kevin Chapman some work. They allowed zero runs as they pitched the final two innings.
The team will get together to watch Monday’s 7 p.m. contest between Miami and Texas A&M, which will air on ESPNU. The winner of that game will be Florida’s opponent in the NCAA Super Regional next weekend.
