The Road to the College World Series: The Gators use the long ball to propel them past Texas Tech and on to the Super Regionals.

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The 2023 edition of the Florida Gators has been a very scrappy bunch who has never given up and who has more often than not found a way to win. In today’s winner take all series in Gainesville against Texas Tech both teams started off slow but in the third, Wyatt Langford opened up scoring for Florida with a dinger to left field. Riopelle followed up in the fourth, sending the ball to right center for a 2-RBI home run, leading Texas Tech 3-0. In the next inning, Langford reached first base by a shortstop error, stole second and third, then scored off a Rivera line drive to the outfield. Three pitches later, Riopelle slammed a 2-RBI homer outside of the park to bring the Gators to 6-0.

UF pitcher Brandon Neely finished the game with a K to advance to the supers — the program’s first since 2018. The Gators will face No. 15 South Carolina this weekend.