Florida v. UVA Preview/Game Thread

Did Kevin O'Sullivan get cocky after last night's 10-5 win?  Most college baseball analysts, myself included, assumed he would throw giant  lefty flamethrower A.J. Puk in tonight's semi-final elimination game.  Puk, in short, has been dominant since about mid-way through SEC play.  He's the odd's on favorite to be the first college pitcher chosen in the 2016 MLB draft.  He is a 6'7" lefty with a mid to high 90s fastball.  When he's on, he's basically unhittable.

He will not be starting.

UVA head coach and Omaha statue Brian O'Connor understands the importance of this game.  He's starting ace LHP Brandon Waddell, as he should.

Florida will have the advantage at the plate and on defense, but UVA's Waddell shut them out in their first match-up.  In all honesty, this game's a coin flip.  If Puk was on the mound, I'd put it at 75-25 odds in favor of Florida.  He will not be.

If Florida wins, we will get the chance to avenge the late inning bullpen crap-fest that was the rubber match on May 9th, and prove who is the best team in the SEC, and thus the nation.

If Virginia pitches their way to the finals, we will have a rematch of last year's College World Series final.

I'll choose heads.

Dane Dunning gets the start as #Gators & Cavaliers battle for a spot in the CWS Finals at 8 p.m. on ESPN #OmahaGators pic.twitter.com/qkbdoyoWdT

— Gator Baseball (@GatorZoneBB) June 20, 2015