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In a 2017 series rematch, the No. 2 Florida Gators will take on the No. 5 LSU Tigers in the College World Series Final in Omaha, Nebraska.
The stage is set!#MCWS x @LSUbaseball x @GatorsBB pic.twitter.com/FUXcBCCUpR
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 23, 2023
This will be the first time each team will face each other this year, as they both missed each other in the regular season and SEC Tournament.
Well-Rested Gators
Unlike the Tigers, the Gators have been well-rested before the first game of the finals. After beating TCU on Wednesday, Florida has been waiting to find out who they’re facing in the finals. With an extra day off, Florida has been able to set there pitching rotation perfectly.
Brandon Sproat and Hurston Waldrep are set to start Game 1 and Game 2, respectively. It’s important Florida’s bullpen is performing at the highest level as LSU’s offense ranks in the top 10 in scoring, home runs and on-base percentage.
ESPN’s Kyle Peterson joined Sport Scene to talk about the series and thinks Florida has the advantage.
Tired Tigers in the Final
In order to reach the finals, LSU had to scratch and claw their way in the tournament. After an early loss, the Tigers had to go through the losers bracket in Omaha. To book their ticket to the finals, something special had to happen in their elimination game against Wake Forest.
https://twitter.com/SECNetwork/status/1672066302926548992?s=20
While the Tigers have ended up in the Finals, the long series against Wake Forest may prove pivotal for the team. After throwing eight shutout innings and 120 pitches on Thursday, star pitcher Paul Skenes may see limited action in the finals. Skenes has had a spectacular season for the Tigers, but the Gators may have lucked out with Skenes pitching Thursday.
Long Live King Skenes@Paul_Skenes is the new record-holder for SEC and LSU strikeouts in a season with 203 pic.twitter.com/pRWjHxrXNH
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) June 22, 2023
With some questions arising with their bullpen, a lot of pressure sits on the Tigers offense to deliver. Coming into Saturday, you could make the great case that LSU’s offense is better than Florida’s. The SEC powerhouse bats a conference high .307 on the season and has 139 homeruns, compared to Florida’s 136. Star hitters Dylan Crews and Tommy White have been impressive for LSU this season, contributing nearly 170 RBIs on the year.
Despite the odds stacking against LSU Saturday, their resilience in this year’s tournament may give the Gators something to worry about as the final games of the season approach for each team.
Game Times
First pitch for Game 1 of the series is Saturday at 7 p.m. and Game 2 will be on Sunday at 3 p.m. If the series goes to a Game 3, first pitch will be at 7 p.m. on Monday.
