When Miami came to town the last weekend of February, the Hurricanes swept a three-game series from the Gators by a combined score of 26-8.
Much has changed in three months.
UF, the No. 8 national seed, used a five-run first inning and a seven-run fifth to put away Miami on Sunday night en route to a Regional-clinching 16-5 blowout.
The No. 11 Gators (42-20) will now host a Super Regional next weekend against the winner of the Atlanta Regional, which will be decided by a Georgia Tech-Southern Miss showdown Monday at 7 p.m.
Miami had advanced to the College World Series 11 of the last 15 years, but now UF is just a best-"of-three series away from making its first trip to Omaha since 2005.
"The whole goal going into this weekend was to win this one to give us a chance to play one more weekend," UF coach Kevin O'Sullivan said.
Freshman first baseman Preston Tucker took home Regional MVP honors, going 4 for 5 with a home run and three RBI on Sunday. His bloop single to center in the first that drove in Avery Barnes gave Tucker the UF single-season RBI record, besting Ryan Shealy's mark of 80 in 2002. Tucker now has 83 with at least two games left to play.
"The MVP goes to everyone swinging the bat," Tucker said. "There's always guys on base when I get up there. There's a lot more pressure on the pitcher."
UF started freshman left-hander Alex Panteliodis (6-5, 4.38 ERA), who went 4.2 innings and gave up five earned runs in a no-decision. The bullpen shut down Miami the rest of the way with Patrick Keating (4-3, 4.66 ERA) going 1.1 innings and earning the win.
Miami's starter, Iden Nazario, lasted only a third of an inning after giving up five earned runs to start the game. The Gators added to their lead with an explosive fifth inning in which all seven runs came with two outs. Tucker and Adams helped the cause with back-to-back home runs.
UF's 22 hits tied a school postseason record.
