Times wires
Saturday, May 28, 2011
HOOVER, Ala. — Florida advanced to today's title game of the SEC tournament by beating Georgia 3-2 Saturday. But the day was marred by Gators pitcher Brian Johnson sustaining a concussion when he was struck in the back of the head by a ball during the teams' first game.
With a runner on first in the first, Johnson crouched after a pitch got away from catcher Mike Zunino. But Zunino's throw to second still struck the sophomore.
He was on the ground for several minutes before leaving on a cart. The school said tests conducted at a local hospital showed no fractures, bruises or bleeding. It said Johnson was released and went to the team hotel.
"He was visibly emotional," Florida coach Kevin O'Sullivan said of Zunino. "He was the first guy I went to when I got the news from our trainer that (Johnson) was going to be okay."
The Gators (44-16) lost the game 4-3, but because it was their first loss of the double-elimination tournament (although it's a single-game final), they got a rematch. They won that 3-2 and face Vanderbilt (2 p.m., ESPN2). Tied at 2 in the ninth, UF had runners on first and third with one out when Nolan Fontana, who hit a two-run homer in the third, beat out a double-play grounder.
Seminoles in final: Florida State reached today's ACC final (1 p.m., FSN) when it beat Georgia Tech 4-2 and Clemson beat N.C. State 6-3 in Durham, N.C. The Seminoles (42-16), who face Virginia today, scored three in the third on a bases-loaded walk, sac fly and wild pickoff throw to second. N.C. State beat FSU 7-0 on Wednesday and would have advanced by beating Clemson. Instead, FSU and Clemson finished pool play 2-1, and FSU won Thursday's matchup 6-3.
Big East: Seton Hall and St. John's reached today's final (noon, ESPNU) at Clearwater's Bright House Field. The Pirates capped an unbeaten run by beating UConn 12-2. The Red Storm was unbeaten before losing to Louisville 7-2 Saturday morning, but it rebounded to beat the Cardinals 5-1 in the rematch.
Softball: Sweep puts Gators in World Series
GAINESVILLE — Freshman Hannah Rogers pitched her 10th shutout of the season as Florida beat Oregon 7-0 to sweep the best-of-three Super Region. The Gators are the first SEC team to reach four straight World Series. Sophomore Brittany Schutte hit a three-run homer in the sixth. The homer was her 20th of the season, matching the school record teammate Megan Bush set earlier this season, and UF's 110th of the season, breaking the SEC record it set last season.
Women's tennis: Florida's Lauren Embree beat Cal's Mari Andersson 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) in the quarterfinals in Stanford, Calif. Today, she faces Stanford's Stacey Tan. Teammates Alex Cercone and Allie Will fell in the quarters.
Men's tennis: Florida's Sekou Bangoura and Alexandre Lacroix beat Louisville's Austen Childs and Viktor Maksimcuk 6-3, 6-2 in the quarterfinals in Stanford, Calif. Today, they face Stanford's Bradley Klahn and Ryan Thacher, who beat Florida State's Vahid Mirzadeh and Connor Smith 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-2.
Men's lacrosse: Steele Stanwick had three goals and two assists to lead Virginia past Denver 14-8 in the national semifinals in Baltimore. Monday, Virginia faces Maryland, which beat Duke 9-4.