Florida Reaches Final Round

OMAHA —  Florida got a power boost after a fan interfered with a foul ball. And now the Gators are headed to the championship round of the College World Series.

Brian Leclerc, Adam Davis and Matt LaPorta homered as Florida rallied from an early deficit and beat Arizona State, 6-3, Thursday night, ending the Sun Devils’ dazzling run.

Florida (48-21) moves to the best-of-three final round beginning Saturday against Texas. The Gators will be seeking their first CWS title in their fifth appearance.

Arizona State (42-25) had won three elimination games after losing its CWS opener, including a 6-1 victory over Florida on Wednesday.

But the Sun Devils’ magic finally ended. Arizona State, which had an early 3-0 lead, had two on with one out in the top of the ninth before Florida reliever Tommy Boss retired the last two batters to set off a Gator celebration.

In the fourth inning, home plate umpire Bill Davis called Florida’s Brandon McArthur out after a fan reached for the foul ball near the screen, preventing Sun Devil catcher Tuffy Gosewisch from catching it.

Davis’ ruling prompted a heated argument from Florida Coach Pat McMahon. The umpires conferred, but the call stood and it sparked the Gators.

Leclerc, the next hitter, hit a two-run homer off Jason Urquidez to cut the deficit to 3-2.

Boss (9-4), who came in when Gator starter Alan Horne left with an upper left leg injury in the fourth inning, got the victory by pitching 5 2/3 innings of shutout relief.