TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Max Williams hit a three-run home run to cap a nine-run fifth inning, and No. 8 national seed Florida State went on to defeat UCF 12-3 on Sunday night to claim the championship at the Tallahassee Regional of the NCAA Baseball Tournament.
The Seminoles (45-15) advance to the super regionals, which begin on Friday.
Jack Zyska, who hit the go-ahead home run in UCF’s win over Stetson earlier in the day, went deep to stake the Knights (37-22) to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. That score held until the fifth, when FSU scored nine runs on five hits.
Cam Smith hit a two-run home run with one out to get the big inning rolling. Three batters later, Jaime Ferrer laced a two-run double down the left-field line. Jaxson West delivered a two-out, two-run single and Williams followed with his three-run blast.
The Knights scored single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Then Florida State wrapped it up with a three-run seventh, the only hit coming on Marco Dinges’ single to shortstop.
Earlier in the day, UCF had defeated Stetson 5-2 in an elimination game.
Florida stays alive in Stillwater, Okla., regional
STILLWATER, Okla. — Ashton Wilson went 3-for-4 with two runs, Colby Shelton hit a three-run home run and Florida beat host Oklahoma State 5-2 Sunday night to remain alive at the Stillwater Regional.
Florida again plays the Cowboys (42-18), who beat the Gators 7-1 Saturday to knock them into the elimination bracket, for the regional title on Monday.
After Jac Caglianone walked to lead off the inning and Wilson followed with a single, Shelton hit a three-run home run over the wall in right field to ignite a four-run sixth for the Gators that capped the scoring.
Florida starter Cade Fisher gave up two runs — one earned — on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts over 3-1/3 innings. Luke McNeillie came on and walked a batter before he was replaced by Brandon Neely, who struck out a career-high 11 and allowed a hit and three walks over 5-2/3 innings to improve to 3-4 this season.
Colin Brueggemann hit a one-out double and scored when Tyler Wulfert reached on an error to give the Cowboys a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Nolan Schubart hit a two-out single in the bottom of the first and scored three pitches later when Zach Ehrhard hit an RBI double to right field that gave Oklahoma State a 1-0 lead.
Earlier in the day, the Gators routed the Nebraska Cornhuskers 17-11 in an elimination game.
Associated Press
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