Nolan Schubart had the moment that could have propelled Oklahoma State to a Super Regional waiting for him. The Cowboys, with a flagging offense, loaded the bases against Florida‘s blistering bullpen in the fifth inning.
The sophomore outfielder, who had five RBIs in the first two games of the Stillwater Regional, fouled out to the catcher.
But it wasn’t a big deal. Zach Ehrhard was up with just one out.
The right-handed versus left-handed matchup favored Ehrhard, Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan said, and the junior outfielder had six RBIs in regional games. He got his seventh on a fly ball to left field when Tyler Wulfert came in from third base.
Aidan Meola then struck out on a full count with the tying run stranded at second base, ending OSU’s best chance to put pressure on the Gators.
The Cowboys (42-19) went 1 for 12 the rest of the way and watched the team that snuck into the NCAA Tournament celebrate a 4-2 victory Monday on OSU’s home field. The loss marked the third consecutive year in which OSU failed to win a regional tournament as a host.
“Today we weren’t able to put together the type of attack that I imagined we would bring to the table,” OSU coach Josh Holliday said. “They did a good job of working their way through some jams where we had some runners on base and we held off, and we couldn’t change the momentum.”
The Cowboys were 2 for 15 with runners in scoring position in the last two games, both against Florida.
“You can certainly point that out,” Holliday said.
Florida (33-28) battled a hangover all season as the 2023 national runner-up. The Gators went 13-17 in SEC play and were one of the last teams in the tournament.
O’Sullivan had limited options within his pitching staff as Florida played three games in 28 hours. He gave the initial nod to redshirt freshman Jake Clemente.
Clemente threw 19 pitches during Friday’s loss, 14 of which were balls. He was motivated to recover.
Florida transfer outfielder Ashton Wilson was named Stillwater Regional MVP. He came into the tournament hitting .231, but hit .429 over the weekend with one home run, three doubles and five RBIs.
Wilson said the series win over OSU showed Florida belongs.
“We all have some fight inside of us,” he said.
Everyone in orange was hurt after the surprising loss. A team that turned a do-or-die game into a Big 12 Conference tournament championship a week ago looked confident heading into a game that ended with hugs and goodbyes.
Carson Benge hugged his teammates and coaches for perhaps the last time as he is expected to be a first-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.
Ehrhard fought back tears as he tried to find the words to describe what the team meant to him.
“I joined and got close to a lot of guys on this team,” he said. “This program has done more than I could have ever asked for and made me a better player. “It has made me a better person.”
Holliday said he will remember this team for more than just how its season ended, although he acknowledged the reality.
“Ultimately, what we’re after is the bottom line,” he said. “It’s hard to put into words how much it hurts to lose right now because of how fun and valuable time spent together with this group is. That’s the most fun. …
“I will remember the relationships I saw them form. I will remember the growth and emergence of numerous young people who came here looking for something and found it here.”
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