Michael Robertson’s Clutch Play Helps Send Florida To Men’s College World Series Finals

OMAHA—With Florida leading TCU, 3-2, in the ninth inning Wednesday at the College World Series, TCU All-American third baseman Brayden Taylor dug into the batter’s box against Florida closer Brandon Neely. The Horned Frogs were down to their last out, their season on the line.

Neely quickly got ahead of Taylor, 0-2. Coach Kevin O’Sullivan called for a fastball up in the zone against Taylor, who projects as a top-15 pick next month. Neely didn’t get the ball up enough and Taylor put a strong swing on the 95 mph fastball, sending it deep to center field. It came off the bat at 110 mph and a launch angle of 24.89 degrees. Without the wind, Trackman projected it would have flown 411 feet.

But center field at Charles Schwab Field is historically where balls go to die, especially with the wind blowing in as it has been all week. Center fielder Michael Robertson, who entered the game in the top of the ninth as a pinch runner, took off for the fence.

Robertson tracked it all the way, leapt and grabbed the ball as he crashed into the fence. He held on for the third out, securing the final out of a 3-2 win for the Gators. With the victory, they advance to this weekend’s championship series and will play for the national championship for the fourth time in program history.

When Robertson saw the ball off the bat, he said he wasn’t sure whether it would stay in the ballpark or not. But he was prepared to do whatever it took to track it down.

“(I just thought about) the fact that it was do or die,” Robertson said. “I was going to run through the wall if I had to. I was just happy to track it down and squeeze it.” 

On the mound, Neely said he thought it was a game-tying home run and dropped into a crouch on the mound. Then, he saw how well Robertson was tracking the ball.

“I put it right down the middle for him and he put a good swing on it,” Neely said. “Fortunately enough, the ball didn’t go out. Mikey made a great play in center field on the wall.”

In the dugout, O’Sullivan said he thought the ball had a chance. When Robertson caught the ball, O’Sullivan was initially stunned.

“I think I put both of my arms over the rail and just kind of laid there for 15 seconds,” O’Sullivan said. “I couldn’t believe it. It was a typical way to end the ball game the way things have gone. But Michael made a great play. Good for him.”

Robertson also scored the game-winning run in the top half of the inning. He came on as a pinch runner after Tyler Shelnut hit a leadoff double. He moved to third on a deep fly ball and then scored when Cade Kurland beat out an infield hit deep into the hole to shortstop.

The season has not been straightforward for Robertson, a redshirt freshman, but he was ready for the moment Wednesday. After missing nearly all of last season due to injury, Robertson started this season as Florida’s starting center fielder. Struggles at the plate—he’s hitting .232/.359/.281 with 11 stolen bases—pushed him out of the starting lineup in the SEC Tournament. Since then, he’s been used mostly like he was Wednesday, as a pinch runner or defensive replacement.

Robertson has embraced that role. On Wednesday, as he typically does in close games, he started getting loose in the fifth inning, starting with some stretching in the dugout before moving from the tunnel up to the clubhouse for a dynamic warmup. By the time O’Sullivan called for him to replace Shelnut at second base, Robertson was ready.

“I pride myself in being able to help the club in any way I can,” Robertson said. “If that’s coming in in the ninth right there and being able to make a play like that, that’s what I want to do. I want to do everything I can to help this club win and do it for these guys because they’re all my best friends.”

Florida’s win was driven by far more than just Robertson’s ninth-inning heroics. Shortstop Josh Rivera went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and a critical relay throw to cut down a run at home plate. The Gators’ relief trio of Ryan Slater, Cade Fisher and Neely covered 4.2 innings, holding TCU to one run on three hits and a walk.

Florida found key contributions from up and down its roster Wednesday. Robertson was just the last player to have his number called with a chance to make an impact and he didn’t let the Gators down.

“It’s special, this team is special,” he said. “On the biggest stage, getting to do that for these guys, I think it’s showing how tight we are as a group to come together and play and win some tight games here. To get to do that in the crucial moments here is very special.”