STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Ashton Wilson gave Florida the lead for good with a two-run single in the second inning and reliever Fisher Jameson retired all 10 Oklahoma State batters he faced to close out the game, leading the Gators to a 4-2 victory over the 11th-seeded Cowboys on Monday in the championship game of the Stillwater Regional.
Florida (32-28), runner-up to LSU last season and unseeded this year, will head to the best-of-three Clemson Super Regional to take on the sixth-seeded Tigers beginning Friday or Saturday.
Florida took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning against Cowboys starter Tommy Molsky. No. 9 hitter Michael Robertson was hit by a pitch leading off and Jac Caglianone followed with a one-out double. Wilson plated both with a single to right field.
Oklahoma State (42-19) pushed a run across in the top of the fourth when Zach Ehrhard scored all the way from first base on a double down the left-field line by Aidan Meola.
Dale Thomas singled, stole second and scored on a one-out single by Robertson as Florida got the run right back in the bottom of the inning.
The Cowboys loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the fifth against reliever Frank Menendez but managed only Ehrhard’s sacrifice fly to get within a run.
Colby Shelton sent a full-count pitch over the fence in left field leading off the sixth to put the Gators to cap the scoring.
Jameson pitched the final 3 1/3 innings, striking out four to notch his third save of the season. Menendez, who had not been involved in a decision all season, notched the win.
Molsky (6-3) suffered the loss after allowing two runs on three hits and a walk in three innings.
Oklahoma State knocked Florida into the losers’ bracket with a 7-1 victory on Saturday. The Gators bounced back to beat the Cowboys 5-2 on Sunday, forcing one last game for the title.
Florida lost 18-4 to LSU in the CWS title game last season. The Gators have been to the event 13 times, winning their only championship in 2017 with a 6-1 victory over LSU. Florida also finished second in 2005 and 2011, losing to Texas and South Carolina, respectively.
Oklahoma State has made 20 College World Series appearances. The Cowboys have finished as the runners-up five times, most recently in 1990. They won their only championship in 1959, beating Arizona 5-0.
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