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Tag: College Baseball

  • Gators win their 1st SEC Tourney title since 2014

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    NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Todd Golden knows exactly what he expects out of his fourth-ranked Florida Gators.

    “We have a chance to win a national championship,” Golden said as his Gators accepted the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship trophy Sunday.

    Walter Clayton Jr. scored 22 points as Florida won its fifth SEC Tournament title and first since 2014 Sunday, beating the No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers 86-77.

    “I came here because I believed in that vision,” Clayton said of winning titles at Florida. “See it come to fruition, it actually happening, is great.”

    The Gators (30-4) lost in this game a year ago. This time, they showed off their depth going through No. 21 Missouri, No. 5 Alabama and now the Vols. The result is finishing their 12th appearance in this game all-time to add another title to the list that started with three straight between 2005-07.

    “When we are playing like this, I think we are the best team in America,” Golden said.

    Will Richard added 17 points for Florida. Alex Condon had 13, Thomas Haugh 11 and Alijah Martin 10.

    Richard wore one of the nets around his neck talking to reporters, and the senior made clear he doesn’t want his first to be his last. This is just more motivation.

    “Cutting down the nets is a great feeling, but we want to be able to do that in the NCAA Tournament as well,” Richard said.

    Fourth-seeded Tennessee (27-7) goes home still looking for its first title in this event since 2022. The Vols have five SEC championships, but dropped to 1-3 under coach Rick Barnes with this the Vols’ fourth final in the past seven tournaments.

    “We came with the idea we wanted to win this tournament,” Barnes said. “Disappointed that we didn’t. We get to go again next week. Hope that we can survive and keep moving on.”

    Jordan Gainey led the Vols with a career-high 24 points. Zakai Zeigler had 23 and Chaz Lanier added 11 before fouling out.

    “The experience we’ve had, playing the best of the best in this conference is going to help us in March, and that’s the biggest goal,” Tennessee senior Jahmai Mashack said of balancing the disappointment of the loss.

    These teams split during the season with each winning routs defending their home courts. The Vols had enough fans that this felt like a home court. Yet they led only briefly, the last less than two minutes in at 6-5.

    Florida took over from there. The Gators jumped out to a 34-22 lead and took a 39-30 edge into halftime thanks to a buzzer-beating deep 3 from Denzel Aberdeen. Tennessee never got closer than five in the second half.

    Net time

    Clayton also had a net around his neck, and he got to cut down a net at Iona in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference where he was the league player of the year before transferring to Florida. He recalled his first title back in high school where no one was allowed to cut nets for a simple reason.

    “They had games after us,” Clayton said with a big smile.

    Who’s MVP?

    There was some momentary confusion during the postgame ceremony when Richard first was announced as the MVP, then Clayton.

    Takeaways

    Tennessee: Playing this tournament in the Volunteer State doesn’t help the Vols. They are 1-5 all-time in SEC title games in this state. They go home with the last tournament title won in Tennessee back in 1936 in Knoxville.

    Florida: The Gators have played a program-record seven games this season with both teams ranked in the Top 10. They now are 5-2 after going 6-16 before this season.

    Key moment

    Tennessee got within five four times in the second half. After the final time, Clayton’s 3 with 6:48 left started an 11-2 spurt to seal the win.

    Key stat

    The Gators dominated the boards 39-25 and 15-5 on the offensive glass.

    Up next

    No. 1 Florida will play No. 16 Norfolk State on Friday at 6:50 PM

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  • Condon helps No. 5 Florida top No. 7 Alabama 99-94

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    TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Alex Condon had 27 points and10 rebounds to lead No. 5 Florida to a 99-94 win over No. 7 Alabama on Wednesday night.

    The Gators (26-4, 13-4 Southeastern Conference) also got 22 points and eight assists from Walter Clayton Jr. Florida strengthened its NCAA Tournament resume with a second road win over a top 10 team, after beating No. 1 Auburn on earlier this season. It’s the first time in program history the Gators have done it twice in one season.

    Mark Sears led Alabama (23-7, 12-5) with 30 points, six rebounds and five assists. Alabama also got 19 points from Labaron Philon, 11 from Clifford Omoruyi and 10 points each from Grant Nelson and Aiden Sherrell.

    Takeaways

    Florida: The win could put the Gators ahead of Tennessee in the race for the final No. 1 seed. Florida entered Wednesday one spot ahead of the Volunteers in the NET rankings that are heavily considered by the selection committee, and put the Gators alone in second place in the SEC.

    Alabama: The Crimson Tide are rarely beaten on the glass, but Florida outrebounded Alabama 50-35, including a 16-10 edge on the offensive end.

    Key moment

    Walter Jr. connected with Condon on two dunks within a minute of each other in the second half; the second one put the Gators up 12 with under eight minutes to go. Alabama was unable to bring the deficit to five points until the final 90 seconds of the game, and never got within a single possession.

    Key stat

    Clayton Jr. and Condon combined for 36 of Florida’s 72 shot attempts from the field and 15 of its 29 free-throw attempts, carrying the Gators offensively.

    Up next

    Alabama finishes the regular season at No. 1 Auburn on Saturday, after the Tigers took just their second loss of conference play at Texas A&M on Tuesday. Florida hosts Ole Miss on Saturday.

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  • No. 8 Tennessee gets revenge on No. 5 Florida, 64-44

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    KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Chaz Lanier scored 19 points to lead shorthanded No. 8 Tennessee to a 64-44 win over No. 5 Florida on Saturday.

    The Volunteers (18-4, 5-4 Southeastern Conference) were playing without starters Zakai Zeigler (knee) and Igor Milicic Jr. (illness).

    Jordan Gainey scored 16. Felix Okpara had 10 points and eight rebounds.

    Walter Clayton Jr. scored 10 for the Gators (18-3, 5-3) in the first half before injuring his left ankle. He reinjured it in the second half. The Gators shot 6 of 26 in the second half.

    Tennessee took the lead at the end of the first half when Cade Phillips and Darlinstone Dubar had back-to-back blocks before Lanier drilled a 3-pointer. Clayton went down with a left ankle injury with 1:07 left.

    Takeaways

    Florida: Thomas Haugh, a 6-foot-9 power forward, has emerged as one of the top sixth men in the country. His contributions off the bench have been significant. … Center Micah Handlogten, who sustained a gruesome ankle injury at the SEC Tournament last year, was considering a comeback in February, but has decided to sit out the year.

    Tennessee: If the Vols are going to have a strong finish to the season and a deep run in the postseason, senior point guard Zeigler will need to be healthy. He injured his right knee Tuesday against Kentucky.

    Key moment

    From the end of the first half to the first few minutes of the second, Tennessee had a 14-2 run that put the Vols ahead 30-21. Gainey had six of those points.

    Key stat

    The Vols hit their first six shots of the second half to grow their lead to double digits.

    Up next

    Florida will host No. 24 Vanderbilt on Tuesday night. Tennessee will host No. 20 Missouri on Wednesday night.

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  • No. 8 Florida topples top-ranked Tennessee 73-43

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    GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Alijah Martin scored 18 points, Denzel Aberdeen added 16 and No. 8 Florida thumped top-ranked Tennessee 73-43 on Tuesday night to knock off the last unbeaten team in Division I basketball.

    Alex Condon chipped in 12 points and 12 rebounds for his second double-double this season as the Gators (14-1, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) beat a No. 1 team for the third time in school history — the first in six tries at home — and extended their home-winning streak to 16.

    Florida, a 2 1/2-point favorite according to BetMGM Sportsbook, dominated from the opening tip. The Gators scored the first 12 points as the Volunteers (14-1, 1-1) missed their first nine shots.

    The Vols made four shots in the first 20 minutes and trailed by 36 points late.

    Chaz Lanier, who played four seasons at North Florida before signing with Tennessee, scored 10 points on 3-of-16 shooting for the Vols.

    Takeaways

    Tennessee: One of the best defensive teams in the nation, the Vols were solid on that end of the court. Just about every basket Florida made was contested. The offensive end was a different story.

    Florida: The Gators messed one thing up: They sold students tickets to the public as part of a three-game holiday package. Police had to escort dozens of angry students out of their usual, courtside seats before tipoff.

    Key moment

    Aberdeen and Will Richard hit back-to-back 3s midway through the first half, turning a six-point lead into a 13-point advantage and sending the home crowd into a frenzy.

    Key stat

    After allowing Kentucky to make 14 3-pointers in a 106-100 loss last week, the Gators held the Vols to 4 of 29 from behind the arc.

    Up next

    Tennessee plays at Texas on Saturday. Florida plays at Arkansas later that night.

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  • USF will play San Jose State in the Hawaii Bowl

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    HONOLULU (AP) — San Jose State is headed back to the Hawaii Bowl for a second straight season to face USF.

    Bowl officials on Tuesday announced the matchup for the game set to be played on Dec. 24 on the campus of the University of Hawaii.

    The Bulls went 6-6 this season and are seeking to win back-to-back bowl games after beating Syracuse last season in the Boca Raton Bowl.

    The Spartans went 7-5 in coach Ken Niumatalolo’s first season, capping the regular season with a win over Stanford. San Jose State is led by receiver Nick Nash, who leads the FBS in receptions (104), yards receiving (1,382) and receiving touchdowns (16). Nash is a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award that goes to the best receiver in the country.

    San Jose State lost to Coastal Carolina in last year’s Hawaii Bowl. The Spartans lost the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in the 2022 season and will be playing in three straight bowl games for the first time in school history.

    The game will be broadcast on ESPN and will be the only bowl game played on Christmas Eve.

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  • Hampton runs over ‘Noles as FSU drops fifth straight game

    Hampton runs over ‘Noles as FSU drops fifth straight game

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    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Omarion Hampton had four touchdown runs and a 49-yard TD reception as North Carolina cruised to a 35-11 victory over Florida State on Saturday.

    Hampton racked up 172 rushing yards and 93 receiving yards and now has 14 touchdowns for UNC (5-4, 2-3 Atlantic Coast Conference).

    Hampton is a man of many yards but not so many words. In the postgame locker room, coach Mack Brown asked him to give a speech. It was short: “Good job, O-line.”

    The senior is just the fourth UNC player to have five rushing touchdowns in a game and has surpassed the 3,000-yard mark in his career.

    “I can’t do it all by myself, so it’s definitely my O-line,” Hampton said. “They went crazy today. I feel like I just definitely needed to give them a shout out. It’s really just the mindset trying to get each and every play and everything like that.”

    Brown, a Florida State grad, earned his first win over his alma mater. He was 0-3 against the Seminoles while at Tulane in the mid-1980s and came into the game with an 0-8 mark in two stints at UNC.

    The longtime college coach said he felt the offensive line has been improving, as has his team. He enjoyed watching UNC rack up 289 rushing yards while holding Florida State to 42 yards on 28 carries.

    “In college football you got to run the ball,” Brown said. “You’ve got to stop the run. Running for 289 yards against that defense is really, really special.”

    Brock Glenn threw for 123 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown to Ja’Khi Douglas, as Florida State (1-8, 1-7) lost its fifth straight game. Luke Kromenhoek also completed 2 of 7 passes for 36 yards, but he had two interceptions in the fourth quarter.

    The Seminoles managed just 201 offensive yards and scored a season-low 11 points.

    “Very disappointing outcome,” Florida State coach Mike Norvell said. “They did a great job and really dominated the game in pretty much all phases — offense, defense, special teams. We have to be better than what we put on display.”

    Ryan Fitzgerald made a 56-yard field-goal attempt in the first half for the Seminoles.

    Rare company

    Hampton is the first Tar Heel to rush for five touchdowns since 1981. After one touchdown he stopped to celebrate with Natrone Means, a UNC star who is now an offensive analyst.

    Florida State’s record book only note opposing players who ran for four touchdowns in a game. The last one? Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson in 2016.

    Shorthanded Seminoles

    With center Maurice Smith out, Florida State started an eighth offensive line combination in its ninth game. The Seminoles were without one of their top running backs, Kam Davis.

    Takeaway

    UNC: The Tar Heels averaged 5.3 yards per carry and converted on 11 of 16 third-down opportunities to run away with the win.

    Florida State: The Seminoles managed just 61 offensive yards in the first half, falling behind 14-3, and dropped their fifth straight game.

    Up Next

    UNC has a bye week and will play host to Wake Forest on Nov. 16.

    Florida State plays at Notre Dame on Saturday.

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  • No. 6 Miami remains unbeaten, topping Florida State 36-14 in rivalry game

    No. 6 Miami remains unbeaten, topping Florida State 36-14 in rivalry game

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    MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Cam Ward passed for 208 yards and caught a touchdown pass, Damien Martinez ran for 148 yards and two touchdowns and No. 6 Miami remained unbeaten by beating rival Florida State 36-14 on Saturday night.

    Mark Fletcher Jr. rushed for a score and Andres Borregales kicked three field goals to help Miami (8-0, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) snap a three-game losing streak against the Seminoles (1-7, 1-6).

    The Seminoles — who started 13-0 last season and won the ACC — are assured of their fifth losing season in the last seven years, the third in five seasons under coach Mike Norvell. Luke Kromenhoek took over at quarterback off the bench and rushed for 71 yards.

    Fletcher opened the scoring for Miami on a 1-yard run to cap a 67-yard drive — an emotional moment for the sophomore, whose father died this week. He crossed the goal line, took a knee and pointed to the sky in tribute.

    Martinez made it 14-0 with an 18-yard run early in the second quarter. Miami didn’t find the end zone again until 4:32 remained, when tight end Elijah Arroyo connected with Ward on an 8-yard touchdown pass.

    Martinez scored again with 1:51 left, running in from 12 yards out. His 148 yards was the second-most by any Miami rusher in the rivalry series; Stephen McGuire ran for 176 in 1990.

    The Seminoles turned their hopes over to Kromenhoek in the first half. The true freshman’s numbers entering the game: 3-for-7 passing for 19 yards, seven carries for minus-2 yards, all done in his college debut last week against Duke.

    He made immediate impact.

    Kromenhoek ran 14 yards for a first down on his first carry, somehow squirted free of a mass of humanity for a 42-yard keeper on fourth-and-1 to keep a drive alive, then added a 12-yard run down to the 1. Caziah Holmes burst in on fourth down to finish what Kromenhoek started, getting FSU within 14-7 midway through the second quarter.

    But the Seminoles didn’t score again until 18 seconds remained, when Brock Glenn found Malik Benson with a 5-yard pass. It was just Florisa State’s 13th touchdown of the season.

    The Takeaway

    Florida State: The Seminoles are still the only FBS team yet to score more than 21 points this season. They haven’t scored more than 16 in any of their last nine games in the U.S.; the 21-point effort came in the opener this season in Ireland against Georgia Tech.

    Miami: WR Xavier Restrepo passed Michael Irvin and Reggie Wayne on the same play. A 13-yard catch in the third quarter pushed Restrepo to 174 catches (passing Wayne for No. 2 on Miami’s career receptions list) and 2,427 yards (passing Irvin for No. 3 on Miami’s career list).

    Poll implications

    The Hurricanes will remain somewhere around No. 6. Miami will remain on pace to be in the poll from start-to-finish for only the second time since 2005; it last happened in 2017.

    Up next

    Florida State is at home for the first time in nearly month, hosting North Carolina on Nov. 2. Miami welcomes back former coach Manny Diaz when Duke visits Nov. 2.

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  • Injured Florida QB Graham Mertz ready to be mentor

    Injured Florida QB Graham Mertz ready to be mentor

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    GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida quarterback Graham Mertz has a new role for the remainder of the season: Coach.

    Mertz’s college career ended when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a 23-17 overtime loss at then-No. 8 Tennessee on Saturday. He will have surgery once swelling subsides and is committed to spending days and nights working even more closely with highly touted freshman DJ Lagway.

    “I’m here in any way, shape or form for DJ, for this quarterback room,” Mertz said Wednesday. “I told him, ‘Whatever you need. If it’s someone to talk to about life, if it’s someone to talk to about what I’m seeing on the field.’ I’m not going to overstep, but I’m going to do everything I can to help.”

    Mertz expects to be part mentor, part motivator and part cheerleader when Lagway and the Gators (3-3, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) host Kentucky (3-3, 1-3) on Saturday night.

    “A lot of people, if they get hurt, they’re like, ‘No,’” Mertz said. “I’m going to get in there. I’m going to tell them everything I’m seeing.”

    Mertz actually injured his knee two plays before he left the game against the Volunteers. He felt a pop in his knee while cutting during a 15-yard run on a third-and-4 play in the third quarter. He stayed on the field for two more snaps: a handoff to Jaden Baugh and then a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Arlis Boardingham that put the Gators ahead 10-0.

    Mertz felt significant pain when he stepped into the throw and then buckled to the ground as he started to celebrate. He eventually limped to the sideline and into the locker room before emerging wearing a knee brace and using crutches.

    “This wasn’t really how I saw the end of my career here being,” said Mertz, who transferred from Wisconsin before the 2023 season. “Obviously didn’t want to go out that way, but that’s how the dice rolls. For me, it’s something new to attack and get ready for the next step.”

    Mertz finishes his college career with 9,099 yards passing in 50 games, with 64 TDs and 31 interceptions. But he left three of his final six outings with injuries: a broken collarbone last November at Missouri, a concussion last month against Miami and now a significant knee injury.

    The 23-year-old Kansas native hopes to get healthy enough to at least throw for NFL teams before the draft in April. He will get plenty of advice during rehab, including from two older sisters who endured a combined “four or five” knee injuries playing basketball and volleyball.

    “The biggest thing in life is you’re going to be handed a lot of circumstances, and it’s all up to how you’re going to handle it,” Mertz said. “That’s where you have a choice every day on how you’re going to approach it.”

    Mertz’s plan involves guiding Lagway, a five-star recruit from Texas who has completed 65.3% of his passes for 765 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions. Mertz embraced coach Billy Napier’s plan for them to share playing time this season and has done everything possible to help Lagway grow.

    Now he gets a front-row seat as Lagway takes over.

    “For me, the biggest thing is cheerleader, mentor, the whole shebang on that front,” Mertz said. “And I think my goal for myself through this process is to have an uncommon amount of joy every morning.”

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  • Florida State edges Cal 14-9 for first win of 2024

    Florida State edges Cal 14-9 for first win of 2024

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    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Ja’Khi Douglas had a 36-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter and Florida State defeated Cal 14-9 on Saturday in the Bears’ first Atlantic Coast Conference game.

    Patrick Payton had three of Florida State’s seven sacks, the last when Marvin Jones Jr. and Edwin Joseph combined to sack Cal’s Fernando Mendoza on fourth down with 54 seconds left. The Bears had driven to the Florida State 23.

    Lawrance Toafili had 17 carries for 80 yards and a 2-yard touchdown for Florida State (1-3, 1-2 ACC).

    FSU’s DJ Uiagalelei was erratic, completing 16 of 27 passes for 177 yards but it was his touchdown pass to Douglas that gave the Seminoles the lead early in the fourth quarter.

    Mendoza completed 22 of 36 for a season-best 303 yards for Cal (3-1, 0-1). The Miami native also had an interception.

    Cal running back Jaydn Ott returned after missing a game due to injury, picking up 73 yards on 13 carries.

    The takeaway

    California: While the Bears picked up 422 offensive yards, they missed two field-goal attempts of under 40 yards. Pre-snap penalties often hurt Cal drives.

    Florida State: The Seminoles were held to just 284 offensive yards, the fourth straight game they couldn’t surpass the 300-yard mark.

    Up next

    Cal has a bye and plays host to No. 8 Miami on Oct. 5.

    Florida State plays at SMU on Saturday.

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  • Pressure eases off Napier as Florida beat Mississippi State

    Pressure eases off Napier as Florida beat Mississippi State

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    STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — With Florida head coach Billy Napier’s job security grabbing the bulk of the attention on Saturday afternoon, the Gators rose to the occasion against Mississippi State.

    Graham Mertz passed for three touchdowns and rushed for another to lead Florida over Mississippi State 45-28 on Saturday. The win ended a seven-game losing streak for the Gators against FBS opponents.

    “It’s good to win on the road in this league and this can be a challenging place to play,” Napier said. “We have more work to do. We won (Saturday), but we are very much a work in progress. We’re not even close to being who we can be and they know that.”

    The Gators had 503 yards of total offense and completed 93 percent of their passes with Mertz 19 of 21 for 201 yards and DJ Lagway completing all seven of his throws for 76 yards.

    “I think we’re getting the best of both worlds there. Both guys make our team better,” Napier said. “I think this is the best for our team getting both guys involved.”

    The Bulldogs defense surrendered a touchdown on all but three drives. The visitors averaged 6.3 yards per carry with 36 rushes for 226 yards. The Gators were 6 of 9 on third downs.

    For the third straight week, the Bulldogs dug themselves a first-half hole. After being outscored 55-6 in the first half against Arizona State and Toledo, MSU was behind 28-7 in the first half before getting a touchdown run from quarterback Blake Shapen to trail 28-14.

    MSU closed within 28-21 after Shapen found Jordan Mosley for a 13-yard catch in the third quarter, but a fourth-down stop from the 1-yard line at the beginning of the fourth quarter spelled the end for the Bulldogs.

    “We’ve got a choice to make, and the choice is up to each and every one of us,” MSU coach Jeff Lebby said. “We’re going to wake up in the morning, the sun’s going to come up, we’re going to have breath in our body and we’re going to be thankful for the opportunity. There will be great relief, great energy and great confidence in how the guys are getting coached. I think our guys will respond.”

    Shapen led an offense that had 480 yards — to 503 for Florida — and a season-high 240 yards on the ground. He finished 13 of 21 for 140 yards passing and a touchdown and had 12 carries for 32 yards and a score before leaving the game with an apparent injury in the fourth.

    Michael Van Buren came in and was 7 of 13 for 100 yards. Davon Booth and Johnnie Daniels led the way with 29 combined carries for 178 yards and two scores.

    Big picture

    Florida: Billy Napier has a seat hotter than any other coach in the nation and that likely won’t change after the result on Saturday. With a bye week on the way, the intrigue grows for Florida.

    Mississippi State: The Bulldogs are in the middle of a major rebuild and that continues to be more evident each week. State’s defense was nonresistant against a Gators offense that has struggled to score against the two other Power 4 teams they’ve played this season.

    Up next

    Florida: Hosts Central Florida on Oct. 5

    Mississippi State: Travels to Texas on Sept. 28

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  • ACC eyes revenue distribution models that could quell disputes with FSU, Clemson

    ACC eyes revenue distribution models that could quell disputes with FSU, Clemson

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    Atlantic Coast Conference leaders are discussing new ways of divvying up media rights revenue that could potentially resolve legal disputes with Florida State and Clemson, two people familiar with the league’s internal talks told The Associated Press on Tuesday night.

     

    What You Need To Know

    Atlantic Coast Conference leaders are discussing new ways of divvying up media rights revenue that could potentially resolve legal disputes with Florida State and Clemson

    That’s according to two people familiar with the league’s internal talks who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because there is no fully formed proposal and a resolution is far from imminent

    The discussions internally and with Florida State are an extension of a court-ordered mediation session last month between the conference and the school

    FSU’s board of trustees sued the ACC in December, looking for an affordable potential way out of the conference

     

    The people spoke on condition of anonymity because there is no fully formed proposal and a resolution is far from imminent.

    The discussions internally and with Florida State are an extension of a mediation session last month between the conference and the school that was ordered by the Florida judge overseeing the lawsuit FSU’s board of trustees filed against the ACC in December, the people said.

    Changes being considered to the revenue-sharing model would, similar to the ACC’s recently adopted success initiative, be accessible to all members. Instead of rewarding accomplishments on the football field or basketball court, a new revenue-distribution system could reward schools for how valuable they are to television partners, one of the people said.

    Yahoo! Sports first reported that ACC presidents were reviewing ways to tweak the league’s revenue-sharing structure that could appease its disgruntled members.

    Seeking a potential exit from the ACC, Florida State sued the conference in December, challenging the validity of a contract that binds member schools to the conference and each other through media rights and claiming the league’s exit fees and penalties for withdrawal are exorbitant and unfair.

    In its original compliant, Florida State said it would cost the school more than half a billion dollars to break the grant of rights and leave the ACC.

    Last week, Florida State filed a request in Leon County Court for a summary judgment, asking the judge to rule on certain key parts of the case without a trial.

    The ACC filed a lawsuit against Florida State in North Carolina the day before FSU filed its suit last year.

    Then, in March, Clemson sued the ACC in South Carolina and the ACC, in turn, filed another lawsuit in North Carolina against that school.

    The conference claims both schools are breaching their contracts simply by suing to get out of a deal they have signed twice in the past 10 years.

    ACC university presidents and chancellors discussed revenue-sharing alternatives during regularly scheduled meetings last week in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the league offices are located, and again during a routine call Tuesday, one of the people said.

    The ACC is locked into television contract with ESPN through 2036 that Florida State says will leave the school lagging behind competitors in the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference by as much as $40 million a year.

    But remaining in the ACC under new financial terms could be still be the best option for Florida State and Clemson, the league’s two most recent football national champions.

    It is unclear whether either would find homes in the Big Ten or SEC — the richest of the Power Four leagues — if they were able to leave the ACC through lawsuits.

    Also, those legal challenges could take years to play out, with the ACC unmotivated to settle with those two schools and risk opening the door to other members leaving.

    “We’re going to fight,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said during an ESPN interview last month. “And that’s the way it should be when you sign an agreement twice — willingly sign — and that you are part of a group that comes together and decides that this is what you want to do for the next 20 years. And you should be held accountable for that.”

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  • Florida State falls to 0-2 after 28-13 loss to Boston College

    Florida State falls to 0-2 after 28-13 loss to Boston College

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    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Treshaun Ward totaled 138 offensive yards, including a 13-yard touchdown reception, against his former team as Boston College stunned No. 10 Florida State 28-13 on Monday night.

    Ward, a Tampa native who played at Florida State from 2019-22, had 77 yards rushing and 61 yards receiving as the Eagles (1-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) totaled 263 yards rushing.

    It was a resounding debut for BC coach Bill O’Brien, who was introduced in mid-February after Jeff Hafley’s departure to become the Green Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator.

    The Eagles’ offense produced touchdown drives of 71 yards, 68 yards and 60 yards, while also benefitting from a short field after intercepting DJ Uiagalelei iand quickly scoring a touchdown.

    Uiagalelei completed 21 of 42 passes for 272 yards and a 29-yard touchdown pass to Kentron Poitier in the third quarter, cutting BC’s lead to 21-13.

    Florida State, viewed as a contender for a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, dropped to 0-2 for the first time since 2021.

    TAKEAWAYS

    Boston College: Thomas Castellanos nearly pulled off an upset of Florida State in 2023, but he did it on Monday. The BC quarterback completed 10 of 16 passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns to go with 73 yards rushing.

    Florida State: A strength going into the season has instead been a weakness. The Seminoles had just 21 yards rushing on 16 carries.

    UP NEXT

    Boston College hosts Duquesne on Saturday.

    Florida State has a bye week and next hosts Memphis on Sept. 14.

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  • Florida could be without Mertz, opening the door for Lagway

    Florida could be without Mertz, opening the door for Lagway

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    GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida could be without quarterback Graham Mertz against lower-division Samford on Saturday night, raising the possibility of highly touted freshman DJ Lagway making his first career start.

    Mertz was knocked out of last week’s 41-17 home loss to No. 19 Miami in the third quarter with a concussion. Coach Billy Napier said Monday the Gators are “checking boxes in protocol” regarding Mertz and added that Lagway would take all the first-team repetitions in practice later in the day.

    Mertz, a former Wisconsin starter, had his worst game in two seasons with the Gators. He completed 11 of 20 passes for 91 yards and an interception. Lagway led the Gators to a touchdown and threw an interception in three series of work. He also ran for 20 yards.

    “We would play a brand of football that reflects his experience and his strengths, no different than we do each week,” Napier said. “But I’ve got a ton of confidence in DJ. We’ve had him (on campus) since January. He’s a completely different person and player than he was when he first arrived.

    “He’s got a really good knowledge of our system.”

    Lagway was a five-star prospect from Willis, Texas. The 2023 Gatorade Player of the Year was the consensus No. 1 QB in the country. He threw for 4,604 and 58 touchdowns as a senior at Willis High. He also led the team in rushing with 957 yards and 16 scores.

    “You would like to think that he just finished preparing as if he was one play away from being out there,” Napier said. “You got to start your week as if you’re going to be the guy, knowing that the entire building is going to be depending on you when you get that opportunity. Really that applies to all backups.

    “I think you want a culture where the backup is working consistently as if he may have to play because this is a game where players get hurt.”

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  • No. 24 NC State keeps posting 8- and 9-win years. Coach Dave Doeren is chasing a breakthrough moment

    No. 24 NC State keeps posting 8- and 9-win years. Coach Dave Doeren is chasing a breakthrough moment

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    RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina State keeps putting together successful seasons that flirt with accomplishing even more. That has coach Dave Doeren firmly entrenched with a winning program yet invigorated by the thought of what else could be within reach.

    There have been four straight seasons with eight or nine wins, bringing the 24th-ranked Wolfpack to the verge of its second 10-win season ever and first since 2002. And if N.C. State can do that, it could have Doeren’s squad challenging for the Atlantic Coast Conference title.

    “What we did last year and the year before and the year before is good,” Doeren said. “Winning nine games is good. We don’t want to be good, we want to be the best at what we do. These guys understand that.”

    Doeren is entering his 12th season after becoming the program’s all-time winningest coach last season. He’s been chasing the program’s first ACC title since 1979, and this year’s team is picked to finish fourth in the expanded 17-team league.

    N.C. State returns roughly half its offensive and defensive starters, but also added a veteran class from the transfer portal that includes a new starting quarterback in Grayson McCall from Coastal Carolina.

    The season comes amid a wild run of success for Wolfpack athletics: men’s basketball winning its first ACC title since 1987 and then reaching its first Final Four since 1983, women’s basketball reaching its first Final Four since 1998, and baseball returning to the College World Series.

    Doeren’s team would love to add to that list.

    “The buzz has been buzzing. Our fan base has been electric,” defensive end Davin Vann said. “I wouldn’t really call it pressure, but we’re enjoying the energy they’re bringing.”

    The new QB

    This is the second straight season that the Wolfpack will start the season looking to a transfer to lead the offense. Last year it was Virginia graduate transfer Brennan Armstrong. Now it’s McCall, a a sixth-year graduate with more than 10,000 career passing yards.

    “It’s refreshing to be in a new spot,” said McCall, who has shown a knack for avoiding mistakes. He threw 77 touchdown passes with just eight interceptions from 2020-22.

    “He’s got great touch on the football, his game-management skills, his clock management and everything — he’s a vet,” Doeren said. “And he’s a great fit for our program.”

    Top threat

    KC Concepcion grew into a starring role for the Wolfpack in the team’s second-half surge last season. The sophomore enters this year as N.C. State’s top weapon.

    Concepcion had 71 catches for 839 yards with 10 touchdowns, and he also ran for 320 yards. He closed last year with three straight games of seven catches.

    Next defensive steps

    The defense has been reliable for the Wolfpack in recent years, ranking in the top 30 nationally in scoring (20.8) and total defense (332.1).

    But that unit has multiple departed starters, notably Payton Wilson — The Associated Press league defensive player of the year, the Butkus Award winner as the nation’s top linebacker and the Bednarik Award for the nation’s top overall defensive player.

    “Just with Tony Gibson being defensive coordinator, I feel like we’re always going to have a high-caliber defense,” cornerback Aydan White said.

    Bolstered experience

    N.C. State ranked 18th nationally in 247Sports’ transfer classes, with newcomers that included a proven runner in Duke back Jordan Waters, receiver help in Ohio State’s Noah Rogers and a veteran center in Notre Dame’s Zeke Correll (31 starts).

    The Wolfpack brought in more than 40 new players this year.

    The schedule

    N.C. State opens at home against Western Carolina on Aug. 29 before playing a marquee nonconference game against No. 15 Tennessee in Charlotte on Sept. 7.

    The ACC schedule begins at No. 14 Clemson (Sept. 21), while two of the three new league schools appear on the slate with a trip to California (Oct. 19) and a visit from Stanford (Nov. 2). N.C. State faces Duke in its home finale (Nov. 9) and visits rival North Carolina on Nov. 30.

    ___

    AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25

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  • Texas A&M beats Florida 6-0 to make CWS finals for 1st time

    Texas A&M beats Florida 6-0 to make CWS finals for 1st time

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    OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Texas A&M is going to play for a national championship in baseball for the first time in its program’s 130-year history.

    Jim Schlossnagle had a breakthrough, too. The 53-year-old coach has brought seven teams to the College World Series since 2010 — five when he was at TCU and two in his first three seasons at Texas A&M — and never made it to the finals until now.

    “I’m tired of leaving before the championship, so personally it’s awesome, it’s fun to get to be a part of,” he said after his Aggies knocked Florida out with a 6-0 bracket-clinching win Wednesday night. “Excited to play an awesome Tennessee team, one of the best college teams that I’ve — I mean, they really have a great team.”

    The Aggies (52-13) will play No. 1 national seed Tennessee (58-12) in the best-of-three championship series starting Saturday. It will be an all-SEC final for the second straight year and third time in four.

    Justin Lamkin gave Texas A&M a second straight sensational start against the Gators and Caden Sorrell homered to break open the game.

    Hours after Florida banged out 14 hits and scored its third-most runs this season in a 15-4 win over Kentucky, the Gators (36-30) managed just four hits and were shut out for the first time in 145 games.

    The last team to blank the Gators? Texas A&M, 10-0 in the 2022 SEC Tournament.

    “It’s like you’re going full speed ahead, and you win the game this morning, and you go back to the hotel, everybody’s in a good mood, we’re feeling really good about tonight, and it just didn’t go our way,” Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “As simple as that, and Texas A&M deserves to move on.”

    Schlossnagle, who lost starter Shane Sdao to an arm injury in the super regionals, turned to Lamkin for a second matchup with the Gators in Omaha. Lamkin was sharp in a 42-pitch, three-inning outing on Saturday. He was even better Wednesday, holding the Gators scoreless through five innings and striking out nine.

    “I think the big part of it is just having confidence in myself and knowing I can go out there and I can compete and play at this level,” Lamkin said. “And I think just getting ahead of hitters and just having true confidence in all my pitches really helped me out.”

    There was a scary moment in the top of the ninth when Florida right fielder Ashton Wilson struck his head on a padded post on the fence separating the bullpen and field as he tried to catch Ali Camarillo’s drive that went for a triple. Wilson appeared woozy, was tended to by an athletic trainer and coach Kevin O’Sullivan and came out of the game.

    Few expected Florida to make it to the final four of the CWS. The Gators struggled in the regular season and had to win their last series, at Georgia, to achieve the winning record necessary to be eligible for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid. They won regionals and super regionals on the road to get here.

    “Any time you lose a game to end the year, especially in Omaha, it’s going to be heartbreaking,” Gators outfielder Tyler Shelnut said. “I’m just super proud of my teammates and the rest of this group who pushed through a lot to get here — I mean, a lot. This whole year was pretty hard on all of us. So being here was a huge accomplishment.”

    Florida freshman Liam Peterson struggled for a third straight start. He walked four of the first five batters to force in the Aggies’ first run and was lifted.

    With his team down 3-0 in the sixth, O’Sullivan called for reliever Brandon Neely with a man on base and one out. Neely had entered having allowed just three runs in a team-high 21 innings in the NCAA Tournament, but Sorrell turned on a 3-2 pitch for a two-run homer to right and a 5-0 lead.

    “I remember coming to these games when I was 10 years old and wanting to be part of this,” said Sorrell, who grew up three hours from College Station in Highland Village, Texas. “The job’s not finished yet.”

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  • Florida State’s CWS run ends at the hands of No. 1 Tennessee

    Florida State’s CWS run ends at the hands of No. 1 Tennessee

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    OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Tennessee fell flat in its two previous College World Series appearances and in between there was the crushing loss in NCAA super regionals as the No. 1 national seed.

    All that has led to this year’s Volunteers putting themselves in position to play for the program’s first national title beginning Saturday.

    Tennessee is heading to the CWS finals for the first time in the modern era after it knocked out Florida State with a 7-2 victory on Wednesday to win its bracket.

    Zander Sechrist held the Seminoles (49-17) scoreless for six innings and the Volunteers struck for four early runs to become the first No. 1 national seed since 2009 to advance to the best-of-three finals.

    “We always say before something happens, something happens,” coach Tony Vitello said. “There’s been a lot of build-up into the successes we’ve had this year and the failures, too, to be honest with you. And it’s been fun to be a part of.”

    Tennessee’s win assured an all-SEC finals for the second straight year and third time in four. The Volunteers (58-12) will play Texas A&M or Florida.

    The Southeastern Conference will have at least one team in the finals for the 15th time in 16 years. Seven SEC teams have made it since 2009. The fact Tennessee hadn’t been among them had become more frustrating on Rocky Top in recent years. The Vols’ 209 victories and 559 home runs since the start of the 2021 season are the most of any Division I program, after all.

    Tennessee made it to a one-game final in its first CWS appearance in 1951, losing 3-2 to Oklahoma. In those days, there were no preliminary rounds in the NCAA Tournament; teams were selected for the CWS based on regular-season performance.

    The Vols broke through under Vitello after winning a combined one of five games in trips to Omaha in 2021 and 2023. In 2022, they lost a three-game super regional to Notre Dame team at home.

    “That’s a good team in the other dugout, clearly,” said second-year FSU coach Link Jarrett, who coached the Notre Dame team that knocked out the Vols two years ago. “Well-constructed, variety of arms, physical offensively, dynamic, athletic. They made some exceptional plays. You could basically go around the diamond and make note of the exceptional plays they made.”

    FSU freshman John Abraham (5-2) was making his first start since April 9 and third of the season. He struggled with his control and faced only five batters before getting pulled with one out.

    Tennessee was up 4-0 when Burke singled in a run in the second and he finished the scoring in the ninth when he hit his 20th home run of the season. That made the Vols the first team in Division I history to have five players with at least 20 homers. They have a nation-leading 178, nine behind the Division I record set by LSU in 1997.

    Burke got a couple fastballs, a changeup and a surprise slider from Conner Whittaker.

    “It was nasty, a back-foot slider. I told him, ‘Good pitch,’” Burke said. “I did that just so I could get it again because I knew it was coming. I fouled a fastball off and I kind of knew that pitch was coming. I was prepared for it. I got my barrel on it.”

    Sechrist (5-1) came into the game 3-0 in his previous four starts with an 0.78 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 23 innings. His scoreless streak in the NCAA Tournament ended at 17 1/3 innings when Daniel Cantu and Alex Lodise hit back-to-back homers in the seventh.

    In a CWS marked by jaw-dropping defensive plays, Tennessee’s Kavares Tears made one equal to teammate Hunter Ensley’s against North Carolina on Sunday.

    Tears chased down Marco Dinges’ deep drive to right center to end the first inning, catching the ball while crashing into the wall, his sunglasses and hat flying off.

    Tears, the Vols’ regular right fielder, made his first start in center since April 23 because Ensley suffered a lower-body injury when he caught Antony Donofrio’s deep fly to center just before crashing into the wall. Ensley was the designated hitter against the Seminoles. and went 1 for 4.

    “K.T.’s catch set the tone, especially in the first inning,” Sechrist said. “I know our offense scored in the top of the first, but he set the tone right there.”

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  • Florida blows out Kentucky to set up showdown with Texas A&M

    Florida blows out Kentucky to set up showdown with Texas A&M

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    OMAHA, Neb. — Brody Donay hit a grand slam for the first of his two homers, Jac Caglianone became Florida’s all-time home run leader, and the Gators rode a seven-run first inning to a 15-4 victory against Kentucky in a College World Series elimination game Wednesday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida eliminated Kentucky with a 15-4 victory Wednesday in the College World Series

    • The Gators will have to defeat Texas A&M twice to stay in the tournament, starting Wednesday night

    • Brody Donay homered twice, including a grand slam, for Florida

    • Jac Caglianone hammered his 35th homer of the season to pass Matt LaPorta and become the Gators’ career leader

    The game had been scheduled for Tuesday night but was postponed because of rain.

    The Gators (36-29) return to the field Wednesday night to face another Southeastern Conference rival, Texas A&M.

    The victory over Kentucky was extra satisfying for the Gators because they lost a weekend series at home to the Wildcats a month ago.

    “We had to get some sort of revenge, I guess,” Caglianone said. “No better opportunity than to do it on this stage. All the guys were pretty pumped up about it.”

    Kentucky (46-16) went 1-2 in its first CWS appearance after giving up the most runs since it lost 16-6 to LSU on April 13, 2023.

    “This is not how you want to end your season, but this is where you want to end your season,” Kentucky coach Nick Mingione said. “Just so proud of our group of men. They’re unbelievable in every sense of the word. They made history. This hurts. It hurts a lot because this team is fully capable of accomplishing our goal of being national champions. That wasn’t the case this year. That’s not what the Lord planned.”

    This will be the second time Florida has had to play two games in a day in this year’s NCAA Tournament. The Gators won two games in regionals on June 2. They are 5-0 in elimination games in the tournament.

    Florida would need to beat Texas A&M on Wednesday and again Thursday to advance to the best-of-three finals for the second year in a row. The Aggies beat Florida 3-2 in their CWS opener Saturday.

    The Gators’ bats didn’t require a wake-up call for the morning game. They banged out 15 hits and finished with their third-highest run total of the season.

    They rocked Kentucky starter Dominic Niman a second straight time while putting up seven runs in the first. Niman faced six batters in his one-third of an inning. He allowed three hits and was charged with five runs. Niman gave up six runs in four innings in a 10-1 loss to the Gators last month.

    Niman (8-5) was gone by the time Donay came up with the bases loaded in the first. Dale Thomas greeted reliever Cameron O’Brien with a base hit before Donay hit his first pitch to him out to right field, barely clearing the fence with the aid of a light north wind on a 66-degree morning. The wind had not blown out at Charles Schwab Field the first five days of the CWS.

    Donay’s second homer was monstrous, a 414-footer that exited his bat at 118 mph and landed in the last row of the left-field bleachers. The homers were the 13th and 14th of the year for the No. 8 batter in the order, and his five RBIs were a career high.

    Pierce Coppola (1-4), who came back in April following back and shoulder injuries that caused him to miss the 2023 season, gave the Gators exactly what they needed in his career-long five innings. The left-hander struck out nine, and the Gators had a five-run lead when his day ended.

    “I thought this was the best Pierce had thrown all year long,” Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “He was crisp. Him not throwing in (super regionals) probably helped.”

    The Gators, who entered the game batting .190 in Omaha, gave their batting order a makeover with four players in new spots.

    “Sometimes you make lineup changes and they work out, and sometimes they don’t,” O’Sullivan said. “We were at the point we had to do something because the first two games we weren’t very productive.”

    Most notably, O’Sullivan had Caglianone bat leadoff for the first time in his career. Caglianone, projected to be among the first players taken in the amateur draft, was intentionally walked six times in the regular-season series with the Wildcats.

    Kentucky again had no answer for Caglianone. The .400 hitter singled, hit his 35th homer of the season and 75th of his career to pass Matt LaPorta on the school career chart. Caglianone was walked three times, once intentionally.

    “I was all in on it — show off the bat, show off the wheels,” Caglianone said, smiling. “I embraced the role today.”

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  • Hults helps Florida State hold off North Carolina at College World Series

    Hults helps Florida State hold off North Carolina at College World Series

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    OMAHA, Neb. — Connor Hults pitched 4-1/3 innings of shutout relief to thwart North Carolina’s comeback bid, and Jaxson West and Max Williams hit back-to-back homers in the ninth for insurance as Florida State defeated the Tar Heels 9-5 in an elimination game at the College World Series on Tuesday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida State turned back North Carolina 9-5 in a College World Series elimination game

    • Connor Hults pitched 4-1/3 shutout innings in relief to keep the Tar Heels at bay

    • The Seminoles play another elimination game Wednesday against top-seeded Tennessee

    • Jaxson West of FSU had four hits in five at-bats

    The Seminoles (49-16) will play top-seeded Tennessee on Wednesday afternoon. They would have to beat the Volunteers then, and again Thursday to reach the finals for the first time since 1999.

    The Tar Heels (48-16) lost consecutive games for the first time since mid-April and went 1-2 in their first CWS since 2018.

    Though FSU and North Carolina are both from the Atlantic Coast Conference, this was their first meeting since the Tar Heels swept a three-game series to end the 2022 regular season.

    Florida State led 3-1 after chasing both Aidan Haugh (4-3) and Matthew Matthijs in the third inning. The Tar Heels called on Dalton Pence, who extended his NCAA Tournament shutout innings streak to 14-1/3 innings before five singles in six at-bats led to four runs in the fifth inning, giving the Seminoles a 7-1 lead.

    North Carolina scored four runs in the bottom half. With two runners on, Vance Honeycutt greeted Conner Whittaker with his fourth homer in five games, and Jackson Van De Brake followed with an RBI single to make it a two-run game.

    Hults (3-1) got the last out of the inning and retired 12 of 15 batters in his longest outing of the season. He never was in trouble. Honeycutt singled leading off the seventh, but was erased in a rundown between first and second base. After Van De Brake doubled in the eighth, Hults coaxed two groundouts. He walked Alex Madera to start the ninth inning but sandwiched a strikeout between two groundouts to end the game.

    West, the No. 9 batter for FSU, had a career-high four hits in five at-bats. His homer was his second in four games and just his third of the season.

    Williams hit his fifth homer in eight NCAA Tournament games and has 14 for the season.

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  • Florida stays alive in College World Series with 5-4 win over NC State

    Florida stays alive in College World Series with 5-4 win over NC State

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    OMAHA, Neb.  — Two-way star Jac Caglianone broke the Florida single-season home run record to give his school the lead an inning after he struggled on the mound and got pulled, and the Gators eliminated North Carolina State from the College World Series with a 5-4 victory Monday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida defeated NC State 5-4 on Monday in a College World Series elimination game

    • The Gators on Tuesday will play the loser of Kentucky-Texas A&M in another elimination game

    • Jac Caglianone homered in the second inning to break his own single-season record with 34

    • With Wolfpack runners on base in the seventh and eighth, Brandon Neely ended the innings with strikeouts

    Florida (35-29) moved to another elimination game Tuesday against the loser of Monday night’s Texas A&M-Kentucky matchup.

    The Gators are 4-0 in elimination games since regionals and 8-1 in win-or-go-home games in the past two NCAA Tournaments.

    “That’s the standard around here, and it’s our responsibility to uphold that standard, to play winning baseball and get here to Omaha and be the last team standing,” Florida’s Tyler Shelnut said. “Anytime we’re in a spot where our backs are against the wall, we honestly play our best baseball, hands down without a doubt.”

    Caglianone, a projected top-five pick in next month’s amateur draft because of his bat labored through a 33-pitch first inning on the mound. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound left-hander hit a batter and walked two to loaded the bases, gave up Brandon Butterworth’s RBI single and then got a strikeout and fly out to mitigate what could have been a big inning for NC State.

    His fastball averaged 89.5 mph in the inning, and it had never been below 92 mph in his career, according to ESPN. After the first inning, he could be seen rubbing his elbow in the dugout.

    Coach Kevin O’Sullivan opted to lift him for Cade Fisher (4-3).  He said Caglianone wasn’t sharp in super regionals against Clemson, and he could tell he was off on Monday.

    “Definitely didn’t have my best stuff today,” Caglianone said. “I knew I would still have opportunities at the plate to step up for my team.”

    Caglianone stayed in the game as the designated hitter and atoned for what happened on the mound. NC State starter Dominic Fritton (3-7) struck him out on three pitches in the first inning, but in the second, Caglianone drilled his low fastball over the right-center field fence for a three-run homer and 4-1 lead.

    The 404-foot low rider was his 34th homer of the season, breaking his school’s single-season record of 33 set last year. The home run tied him with Matt LaPorta (2004-07) for career homers at Florida with 74.

    “It’s a cool feeling,” Caglianone said. “Mr. LaPorta has reached out a couple times during the year. He’s actually here now with his kids and family. It was a special moment for sure. But end of the day, I was too caught up in just trying to win, staying here and surviving and advancing.”

    Caglianone became the first starting pitcher to homer in a CWS game since Auburn’s Tim Hudson did it against Rice in 1997.

    NC State coach Elliott Avent said he knew he would be replacing Fritton with Logan Whitaker in the third inning, but he left Fritton in to face Caglianone because of his success against him the last time he was up.

    “We thought we’d see if Caglianone wanted to chase again,” Avent said. “That ball he hit to right-center, you’re looking at a future big-leaguer. I can tell you that.”

    Whitaker replaced Fritton to start the third. He allowed two hits and a run and struck out 10 over seven innings.

    The Wolfpack’s Alec Makarewicz and the Gators’ Shelnut also homered, and NC State cut the lead to 5-4 in the fifth on Butterworth’s RBI double.

    NC State had its leadoff man reach base in the sixth, seventh and eighth but couldn’t push the tying run across. Luke Nixon got caught stealing second in the sixth. Then the Wolfpack left two runners on base in the seventh and stranded a man on third in the eighth when Brandon Neely ended both innings with strikeouts.

    NC State, which was third in the nation with seven walk-off wins, had the top of the order up in the bottom of the ninth. Neely caught Eli Serrano III looking at strike three, Garrett Pennington struck out when he couldn’t check his swing on a pitch out of the zone, and Makarewicz lined out to left field to end the game.

    Neely, who earned his fifth save, allowed one hit and struck out six in three innings. He has surrendered just three earned runs and struck out 32 in 21 innings in the NCAA Tournament.

    NC State (38-23) went 0-2 in the CWS for the first time in four all-time appearances.

    “These players took us on a ride of a lifetime,” Avent said. “This place is magical. It’s so hard to get here and so hard to leave.”

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  • Ferrer homers twice as FSU knocks Virginia out of CWS

    Ferrer homers twice as FSU knocks Virginia out of CWS

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    OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Jaime Ferrer hit two homers, Carson Dorsey turned in a third straight strong start, and Florida State bounced back from a gut-wrenching loss two days earlier to stay alive in the College World Series with a 7-3 win over Virginia on Sunday.

    The Seminoles (48-16) have won at least one game in five straight CWS appearances since 2010 and will play Tuesday against the loser of Sunday night’s North Carolina-Tennessee matchup.

    The Cavaliers (46-17) went 0-2 in Omaha for the second straight year and have lost six straight CWS games since 2021.

    Florida State was coming off a 12-11 walk-off loss to No. 1 national seed Tennessee in its CWS opener Friday night. Many in garnet and gold thought the Seminoles were robbed of a win when a check-swing call that could have ended the game instead went Tennessee’s way before Dylan Dreiling’s game-winning hit.

    FSU coach Link Jarrett said Friday’s outcome left him with a terrible headache that lasted well into Saturday, and he was concerned about how his team would respond.

    “This probably was the best game we played this year,” Jarrett said. “That sums up what’s in that dugout. It’s not easy to go to bed after that, not a pleasant day. To watch them play their best game, that’s a thrill I’ll never forget here. That’s beyond an experience I’ve ever had here, just the response.”

    Ferrer connected on Virginia starter Jay Woolfolk’s first pitch of the fourth inning and launched a wind-aided fly into the left-field bullpen off Joe Savino for a three-run shot in the fifth. Ferrer has three homers in two CWS games, five in his last four games and 22 for the season.

    Ferrer has driven in four runs in back-to-back games, making him the first player with multiple games with four or more RBIs in a single CWS since Southern California’s Robb Gorr in 1998, according to ESPN.

    Dorsey (8-4), who allowed three runs and struck out seven, was lifted for Brennen Oxford after giving up a base hit to start the eighth. In three NCAA Tournament starts, Dorsey has yielded five earned runs and struck out 20 in 21 innings.

    All four of Dorsey’s pitches were working at a high level, particularly his curve, and he leaned on the breaking more than usual.

    “We saw it work early in the game and we decided to stay with it,” he said. “No need to change what’s working.”

    The left-hander held the Cavaliers scoreless until the seventh, when the ball popped out of Ferrer’s glove as he tried to make a sliding catch of Henry Godbout’s liner to left. That allowed Ethan Anderson to score from second, and Casey Saucke followed with an RBI single.

    Woolfolk (4-2) left in the fourth after he tweaked his right knee on the pitch Ferrer drove out for his first homer of the game. Athletic trainer Brian McGuire made a mound visit, and Woolfolk threw some warmup pitches to see if he could continue. He got an out and walked Drew Faurot, prompting another visit from McGuire. This time Woolfolk came out and Savino relieved.

    “Freak accident,” an emotional Woolfolk said. “I feel fine. I feel great now. Just something that happened. I wish I could have kept going.”

    It was a difficult ending for Woolfolk, originally a two-sport athlete who was expected to compete for the starting quarterback’s job on the football team in 2023. He announced a month before fall camp that he would give up football to focus on baseball, and he was a weekend starter the first month of the season.

    He struggled with his control and went to the bullpen, but coach Brian O’Connor gave him another opportunity to start in the postseason and he turned in two of the best performances of his career in regionals and super regionals. He was sharp Sunday until he got hurt, striking out three while retiring the first six FSU batters.

    The game was delayed more than five minutes in the eighth inning after home plate umpire Linus Baker was shaken up when a foul ball into the dirt behind the plate bounced into his right knee and up under his mask’s chin pad. Medical personnel tended to Baker and gave him the OK to continue and equipment staff checked his mask before play resumed.

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