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Finnvold Comes On In Relief, Pitches Nine Innings To Save Gators Season Against Oklahoma

By Benjamin Henderson

FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS - MAY 20: Jud Fabian #4 of the Florida Gators at bat during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Baum-Walker Stadium at George Cole Field on May 20, 2021 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Gators 6-1. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS - MAY 20: Jud Fabian #4 of the Florida Gators at bat during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Baum-Walker Stadium at George Cole Field on May 20, 2021 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Gators 6-1. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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After expending a lot of energy and resources earlier in the day to survive against Central Michigan and win 7-6 to keep their season alive, it was understandable that the Gators’ baseball team might come out a little flat against Oklahoma.

And after three batters, it looked like Gators’ season was going to come to an anticlimactic ending.

Freshman Carsten Finnvold made sure that Florida gets one more crack at it.

Finnvold came on in the 1st inning with the bases loaded and nobody out. Three batters later the inning was over and no Sooners had touched home plate.

Finnvold would stay in, retired 16 straight batters at one point, ended up pitching nine full innings with just two runs surrendered, and Florida will play Oklahoma again tomorrow at 1PM.

The winner will advance to the Super Regionals while the loser will have their season end.

It was truly a breakout performance for Finnvold. Prior to tonight, Florida had only used him for nine total innings of work. He had given up 13 runs, eight earned, with 10 hits and nine walks in his minimal time on the mound this season.

On Sunday night, something clicked as Finnvold pitched to contact to induce fly out after fly out from Oklahoma hitters.

At some point the Gators of course needed to score runs themselves. Jud Fabian opened the scoring with a solo home run in the 4th inning.

Florida would make it 2-0 in the 5th on a Jac Caglianone RBI single.

Oklahoma would start to put up a fight in the 6th and tied the game at two. Finnvold managed to work out of the jam after catcher Mac Guscette threw out Jimmy Crooks on a steal attempt.

From there, Florida’s offense woke up and never looked back. BT Riopelle singled in a run in the 7th to make it 3-2.

Then in the 8th inning the Gators put up four more runs, with Fabian leading things off with his second home run.

The night belonged the Finnvold though. He closed out the game with a double play and the Gator faithful in attendance let him know it was a performance for the ages.

Keep up with Gator baseball here.

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