COLLEGE

Langworthy's homer off glove in 11th sends Florida to Omaha

MARK LONG The Associated Press
Florida's Jonathan India celebrates after hitting a home run against Auburn during the first inning of an NCAA Super Regional college baseball game Monday, June 11, 2018, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Matt Stamey)

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Austin Langworthy's home run off Steven Williams' glove in the 11th inning gave overall top seed Florida a 3-2 victory against Auburn in the deciding game of their NCAA super regional Monday night, sending the defending national champion Gators to the College World Series for the fourth consecutive year.

Langworthy lined a fastball off freshman All-American closer Cody Greenhill (6-3) to the wall. Williams had a bead on it, but it bounced off his glove and over the fence. It was Langworthy's fourth homer of the season and second in the best-of-three series, both against Greenhill.

Williams dropped to the ground in disbelief as Florida players rushed the field and waited for Langworthy to touch home plate before mobbing him. The entire Auburn team walk to right field to console Williams.

The Gators (47-19) advance to play Texas Tech in Omaha, Nebraska later this week. Florida is headed there for the seventh time in the last nine years.

Auburn (43-23) was trying to get to the CWS for the first time since 1997.

Florida closer Michael Byrne (3-1) allowed one hit in four innings. Byrne pitched in all three games, part of a staff that allowed just seven runs in the series.

The Gators scored conventionally and unconventionally before the walk-off homer, getting a solo home run from Jonathan India in the first inning and then scoring with a nifty double steal in the fourth.

India, the fifth overall pick by Cincinnati in last week's MLB draft, drove his 20th homer of the season into the bullpen over the right-center-field fence. India became the fifth player in program history with at least 20 dingers in a season.

Auburn tied it on Williams' two-out, RBI single in the third. Will Holland got it started with a single and then stole second. He beat Wil Dalton's throw home after Williams singled to right.

Florida went back ahead with a little trickery. With two outs and runners at the corners, Nick Horvath took off toward second and then intentionally belly flopped in the middle of the base path. It seemingly confused left-hander Andrew Mitchell, who hesitated just long enough with the ball for Blake Reese to score from third. Reese's head-first slide beat Mitchell's throw.

COSTLY MISTAKES

Dalton made a pair of mistakes in consecutive innings. He errantly rounded second base on a ball hit toward the right-center-field gap, thinking it would drop, but Jay Estes made a diving catch and then threw Dalton out trying to get back to first. Dalton misplayed a single in the ensuing frame, allowing Luke Jarvis an extra base. Jarvis moved to third on a wild pitch and then scored on Josh Anthony's fly ball to right. Dalton made a strong throw home, but Jarvis beat the tag by inches.

AUBURN'S FUTURE

The Tigers don't look like a one-year wonder. They had four freshman All-Americans this season: Williams, Greenhilll, designated hitter Julien Edouard and starter Tanner Burns. The foursome is expected to make up the core of the team in coach Butch Thompson's fourth season.

INJURY UPDATE

All-SEC catcher JJ Schwarz remains sidelined with a broken right hand, but the Gators are hopeful their senior team captain will be available in Omaha. Schwarz took batting practice last Friday for the first time since taking a foul ball off his exposed throwing hand in the regular-season series finale at Mississippi State. His replacement, Jonah Girand, has struggled since hitting three home runs in four games in the regional.

CAPACITY CROWD

The series finale drew 5,958, the eighth-largest crowd at McKethan Stadium.