GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Reliever Carsten Finnvold worked out of a jam in the first inning and threw what amounted to a complete game as Florida, the overall No. 13 seed, defeated Oklahoma 7-2 on Sunday, setting up a Monday showdown for the Gainesville regional title.
Gator starter Timmy Manning hit the first batter, threw two wild pitches and then walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the first. Finnvold relieved and got two popups and a flyout.
Finnvold finished the game, allowing five hits and two runs. Four of the hits came came in the sixth when the Sooners (39-21) tied the game 2-2. A ninth-inning single was erased on a game-ending double play.
BT Riopelle broke the tie in the seventh with a single, scoring Sterlin Thompson who had doubled. Those were the only two batters reliever Carson Atwood (2-4) faced in taking the loss.
Florida (42-23) added four more runs in the eighth, starting with Jud Fabian's leadoff homer. Fabian also opened the scoring with a home run in the fourth, giving him 10 multi-homer games in his career.