OMAHA, Neb., — Two old friends and a pair of conference titans will
square off tonight at 7 p.m. in a critical winner's bracket contest
at the College World Series.
For
the fifth time this season, Florida’s Kevin O’Sullivan will oppose
former colleague Tim Corbin — Vanderbilt’s head coach — in a
meeting pitting ex-assistant coaches from Clemson.
The
close confidants worked together on Jack Leggett’s staff from
1999-2002 before Corbin accepted the head coaching position at
Vandy. Despite both coaches building powerhouse programs in the
same division, in the same conference, the two have remained best
friends and cordial rivals. Although the competition between the
Gators (51-17) and Commodores (53-10) has been ramped up recently,
the teams are hardly hostile because of the coaches’ relationship
both on and off the field.
“Me
and Tim go back and awfully long way. I care about him deeply,”
O’Sullivan said. “They're like family. Tim and I are very, very
close. Our families know each other. It goes well beyond the
baseball side of things.”
Earlier this week, the two managers admitted they do not relish the
opportunity facing one another because of the familiarity and
emotional toll the games take.
“I
don't enjoy playing Tim,” O’Sullivan said. “I felt because I know
number one, his team's very prepared and it's not going to be
easy. But number two, you hate to see anybody lose, and that's
where your heart gets involved. I don't really have a desire to
play them unless they pit us together.”
Seeded on the same side of the bracket, tonight’s contest could
possibly be one of three meetings between the two teams just to
reach the championship series.
The
winner tonight gets to rest until Friday, while the loser faces the
winner of today’s elimination contest between Texas and North
Carolina.
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Whitson, Garvin toe the rubber
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UF freshman Karsten Whitson has always shown up during the season’s
biggest games, but no start will be like tonight when the
flame-throwing right-hander will pitch in front of 25,000 and be
opposed by Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year and MLB
first-round pick Grayson Garvin.
Whitson (8-0, 2.45 ERA) has been sharp in three postseason starts,
throwing 15 innings with 12 punch-outs and just a .216 batting
average against, but the All-American had his worst outing of his
brief career against the Commodores earlier this season.
Whitson tossed just 4.1 innings — second-shortest outing all year,
only trumped by his postseason start against Manhattan when he was
pulled early in case he was needed later in the weekend — allowing
four extra-base hits and three runs.
The
Gators are 15-2 in Whitson’s 17 outings, but tonight will be just
his second-career start under the lights.
Garvin (13-1, 2.36 ERA), a first-round supplementary pick of the
Tampa Bay Rays, carved up Florida for seven innings of one-run ball
in Vandy’s only win over UF in four tries.
The
southpaw features pinpoint control and a deceptive delivery, toying
with hitters with a soft slider and a dying curveball.
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Etc.: The Commodores and Gators both sport deep,
effective bullpens. Vandy’s ‘pen tossed 4.1 scoreless innings with
seven strikeouts in its 7-3 win over UNC on Saturday. Florida’s
bullpen, led by Nick Maronde’s two perfect innings, tossed 2.1
innings with four punch-outs. …The Gators are one win shy of
setting a new school record. … UF’s comeback win Saturday was its
19th of the season. … Although the Gators possess an arsenal of
hurlers, Florida’s team ERA (3.00) is just the seventh highest at
the CWS. … Bryson Smith, who reached base in all five plate
appearances (two singles, two walks and a hit-by-pitch), is one of
three players at the CWS yet to record an out.
