It took every possible game to decide the winner of Bracket 1 at the College World Series, and by one run, the Virginia Cavaliers came out on top, beating Florida 5-4 on Saturday.
UVA entered the NCAA Tournament as a 3-seed in the Lake Elsinore Regional. After getting out of that, they then got to host a Super Regional thanks to Maryland taking down No. 1 National Seed UCLA. UVA swept the Terps there as well, sending them to Omaha.
The only loss the Hoos have suffered in the postseason came on Friday, when Florida discarded them 10-5. But in their third meeting of the CWS, Virginia would get the last laugh.
It was a tightly-contested battle, with neither team ever leading by more than a run, and four lead changes. Also, neither starting pitcher lasted more than five innings.
But Virginia got the superior relief outing, as Josh Sborz tossed the final four innings of the game, allowing just three hits and a walk while not surrendering a run.
The real hero of not only this game, but the entire postseason run, is Kenny Towns. Towns drove in three runs on Saturday night, including a two-run double down the left field line to put Virginia up 4-3 at the time.
Florida would tie it up at four in the ensuing at bat, thanks to a Mike Rivera single with two runners in scoring position. But Sborz would retire the next two batters to end the inning and keep the game tied.
In the bottom of the seventh, it was Towns coming up big again for the Cavaliers. With the bases loaded and one out, Towns hit a sac fly to right, giving Virginia the 5-4 lead.
WAHOOOWA!!
Virginia leads 5-4 after a Kenny Towns sac fly plates Ernie Clement in the 7th! #CWS http://t.co/3sCqpFvASq
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAACWS) June 21, 2015
That would do it for the Gators, as they would only get one runner on base over the final two innings.
Virginia will take on Vanderbilt in the CWS Championship Series for the second consecutive year, beginning Monday night at 8 PM ET. The Commodores took home the crown last year, so Virginia will looking to exact its revenge on them.
History is not on their side though:
Third #CWS Finals rematch (in consecutive years) in history.
USC beat Arizona State in both 1972 & 73.
Oregon St beat UNC in both 2006 & 07.— Rob Anderson (@_robanderson) June 21, 2015
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*Featured Photo (above) credit to USA TODAY Sports
