OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Eric Gutierrez hit a two-run homer, Texas Tech picked up a huge insurance run by way of two errors on the same play in the ninth inning, and the Red Raiders eliminated Florida 3-2 at the College World Series on Tuesday – a stunning early exit for the No. 1 national seed.
The Gators made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth after Peter Alonso’s two-run homer made it a one-run game. The game ended when Jonathan India tried to stretch a single into a double and was thrown out by left fielder Tyler Neslony.
The fifth-seeded Red Raiders (47-19) will play Thursday against the loser of the Tuesday night game between TCU and Coastal Carolina. The Gators (52-16) went 0-2 at the CWS after coming in heavily favored to win the program’s first national championship.
Davis Martin (10-1) and Hayden Howard combined to hold Florida to six hits. Florida starter Alex Faedo (13-3) cruised until the fourth inning when Gutierrez went deep.
In a CWS where runs have been at a premium, Texas Tech’s biggest came on botched infield play by the Gators in the top of the ninth.