GAINSEVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Sproat allowed just one run over seven innings, Colby Halter had three RBIs — including the go-ahead solo homer in the bottom of the fifth — and top-seeded Florida beat Central Michigan 7-3 on Friday night at the Gainesville Regional.
Florida (40-22) plays No. 2 seed Oklahoma in the semifinals after fourth-seeded Central Michigan (42-18) plays No. 3 seed Liberty — which lost to Oklahoma in the regional’s opener — in a loser-out game Saturday.
Sproat (8-4) scattered nine hits with two walks and a balk and struck out six. Ryan Slater gave up a lead-off single before hitting two batters before escaping a bases-loaded jam unscathed in the eighth inning. He allowed two runs in the ninth before ending the Chippewas’ threat to earn his sixth save of the season when he struck out Garrett Navarra to end the game.
Justin Simpson scored when Danny Wuestenfeld singled up the middle to give Central Michigan a 1-0 lead in the top of the third but Sterlin Thompson answered with a solo homer in the bottom and Halter’s home run in the fifth made it 2-1.
BT Riopelle single and Jud Fabian walked to lead off the bottom of the eighth and, after a sacrifice bunt by Ty Evans, scored on a single by Jac Caglianone. Pinch-runner Corey Robinson replace Caglianone at first, Rivera flied out and Kendrick Calilao walked before Halter hit a two-RBI double to right-center field that gave Florida a 7-1 lead heading into the ninth.
Wuestenfeld went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, Simpson was 3-for-4 with two runs scored for Central Michigan.
Caglianone finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and Thompson was 2-for-3 with a walk.
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