Males’s Faculty World Sequence: Cam Cannarella channels Willie Mays

Clemson’s baseball season ended on Sunday.

However it was not for lack of attempting on the a part of heart fielder Cam Cannarella.

Cannarella performed a starring position in one of the crucial thrilling video games in Males’s Faculty World Sequence Tremendous Regionals historical past. However it was the Florida Gators who punched their ticket to Omaha for the second-straight season with an additional innings, 11-10 win over the Clemson Tigers.

Cannarella and the Tigers trailed the Florida Gators 9-6 within the prime of the ninth inning in a win-or-go-home contest. However Cannarella got here to the plate representing the tying run with one out and runners on first and second.

In a flash, the sport was tied:

Cannarella launched a no-doubt residence run to proper subject, clearing the whole lot and tying the sport at 9-9.

However the heart fielder was not achieved.

Florida had an opportunity to punch their ticket to Omaha within the backside of the tenth inning, because the Gators had runners at first and second. Ashton Wilson, the third hitter within the Florida lineup, got here to the plate with an opportunity to ship the Tigers followers residence sad.

With the runner on second representing the profitable run, Clemson introduced the outfield in, hoping to chop down that profitable run on the plate on any grounder that obtained by the infield. However Wilson launched a deep fly ball to heart subject that appeared to recover from Cannarella’s head, given his pre-pitch alignment.

Someway, a way, Cannarella obtained to the ball:

Shades of Willie Mays within the 1954 World Sequence:

Cannarella’s unimaginable catch not solely ended the inning, however it prolonged Clemson’s season.

Clemson took the lead within the prime of the thirteenth inning, on this solo residence run from proper fielder Alden Mathes:

The second was not with out some controversy, as Mathes was then ejected by the umpiring crew for the post-homer bat spike. That introduced out head coach Erik Bakich to debate the decision with the crew, and shortly Bakich too was run from the sport, however earlier than leaving took a second to pump up the Tiger devoted:

The Gators nonetheless had an opportunity within the backside of the thirteenth, as they put the primary two batters on as Luke Heyman singled to left subject after which Tyler Shelnut laced a single to left-center. Dale Thomas laid down an ideal sacrifice bunt to advance the runners, bringing catcher Brody Donay to the dish.

Clemson deliberately walked Donay — who had already homered within the sport — to load the bases and arrange the potential power play across the diamond. That introduced Michael Robertson to the plate with the bases loaded, a hitter who was 0-7 on the season with the baggage full.

Make that 1-8.

Robertson drilled a line drive to left heart, which introduced residence a pair of runs, and punched Florida’s ticket to Omaha:

For the Gators, the second-straight journey to Omaha comes close to the tip of what has been an uphill battle for Florida. The Gators completed with a 34-28 report within the common season, that included only a 13-17 report in SEC play. However they nonetheless earned an invite to the Stillwater Regional because the third seed of the 4 groups, however Florida booked a visit to the Tremendous Regionals by profitable down in Stillwater.

Then they went on the highway once more dealing with a Tigers crew that was seeded sixth general, and gained two straight video games to move again to Omaha.

Overcoming some heroics from Cannarella within the course of.