Auburn loses a heartbreaker in Gainesville

GAINESVILLE | Auburn battled the nation’s No. 1 overall seed tooth and nail for 11 innings before falling in heartbreaking fashion.

Adam Langworthy won it for Florida in the bottom of the 11th inning when his drive to right field bounced off the glove of a leaping Steven Williams and over the wall for a solo home run and a 3-2 walk-off win.

“It was one of the best games that I’ve ever been a part of,” said senior Andrew Mitchell, who started and held the Gators to two runs in 4.1 innings. “For it not to turn out the way that we really wanted it to, that one hurts a lot, especially with going through everything we went through and the coaching changes. It just doesn’t seem real.”

In a tension-filled winner-take-all Gainesville Super Regional, the Gators punched their ticket to a fourth-straight College World Series while the Tigers came up just short, ending their season 43-23.

Michael Byrne, who gave up a game-winning walk-off hit to Luke Jarvis a day earlier, held Auburn to one hit over the final 4.0 innings to earn the win. He struck out five and issued just one walk in his longest outing of the season.

“It was a terrific college baseball game,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “I’m proud of my eight seniors and my entire ball club for battling their heart out. Had elite pitching tonight on both sides.”

Auburn’s Davis Daniel matched Byrne pitch-for-pitch. In the biggest game of his career, the sophomore was at his best holding Florida to just one hit in 5.1 innings out of the bullpen with six strikeouts and four walks.

He entered the game with Auburn trailing 2-1 in the fifth and kept Florida in check through the 10th as the Tigers were able to tie it in the seventh.

“On Davis Daniel’s 21st birthday, he was unbelievable tonight,” Thompson said. “Arguably the best I’ve seen him throw. He looked like a No. 1 pitcher in our league.”

Auburn made several key defensive plays including a 6-4-3 double play in the second, a diving catch by Jay Estes in right-center in the sixth, which turned into an 8-4-3 double play catching the runner off first, and a diving catch by Judd Ward down the left field line to save a run and end the eight inning.

Jonathan India got the scoring started with a solo home run off Mitchell in the first inning. Auburn answered in the third as Will Holland reached on an infield single, stole second base and scored on a two-strike, two-out single by Williams.

Florida retook the lead 2-1 in the fourth on a steal of home. Nick Horvath broke from first base and intentionally fell down, catching Mitchell’s attention, which allowed Blake Reese to easily beat the throw home.

Auburn tied the game 2-2 on a sacrifice fly by Josh Anthony to score Jarvis from third base. The throw by right fielder Will Dalton beat Jarvis home but the senior managed to get his outstretched hand across the plate before the tag.

Florida starter Jack Leftwich held Auburn to a run on four hits in 5.0 innings. Tommy Mace allowed one run in 2.0 innings before turning it over to Byrne in the eighth.

Cody Greenhill (6-3) took the loss retiring the final batter in the 10th before giving up the solo home run in the 11th. Langworthy also homered off Greenhill Sunday.