Kent State Eliminates Florida with 5-4 win in College World Series

Kent State eliminated Florida from the College World Series Monday with a 5-4 win.

The Gators lost their first game in bracket two of the CWS to two-time defending champion South Carolina 7-3.

Kent State will face the loser of Monday’s second game between the Gamecocks and Arkansas Razorbacks.

The Golden Flashes jumped out to an early 4-0 lead over the Gators scoring one in the first and three in the second before Florida scored their first run of the ball game in the third, making it 4-1.

Kent State scored its next run in the fifth inning off a wild pitch from Florida’s Jonathon Crawford, which allowed shortstop Jimmy Rider to cross home plate.

The Gators scored one more in the sixth cutting the lead to 5-2, before loading the bases in the seventh with no outs and threatening to take the lead, but were limited to just two runs making it 5-4.

Florida had once more chance to tie/win it in the 9^th, loading the bases with one out, but were not able to capitalize.

First-baseman George Roberts led Kent State from behind the plate in the four-hole going 2-for-4 with 2 RBI. Rider and catcher David Lyon accounted for the teams other two RBI.

Starting pitcher Ryan Bores tossed six innings allowing six hits, two runs while walking two and striking out one.