Come Saturday, the final leg of the No. 4 national seed Florida baseball team’s quest for its first national title officially begins.
The Gators open College World Series action in Omaha, Nebraska, against fifth-seeded Miami and are a mere five wins away from bringing a title to Gainesville.
But as one journey starts, two are coming to an end.
With the trip to Omaha, seniors Josh Tobias and Bobby Poyner are effectively counting down their final days in a UF uniform.
Each has gone through rough patches throughout his time at UF — Tobias essentially seeing the bench for half of last season due to a lack of production and Poyner having moments of greatness and lethargy during the early goings of his UF career.
Luckily for Florida, Poyner and Tobias have saved their best season for last.
And as the Gators prepare to play on the biggest stage in college baseball for the first time since 2012, they are going to lean on the two seniors, the only two on the roster who have ever played in a College World Series game.
They know what it takes to make it this far, and after a two-year gap between CWS appearances, they know not to take it for granted.
"I think as a freshman, I just didn’t understand the magnitude of it, and you know, obviously how difficult it is to get there and what it means," Poyner said.
Poyner, the left-handed relief pitcher, has career-best marks in ERA (2.73) and strikeouts (56) while giving up just six walks in 59.1 innings of work. He’s 5-2 on the season, with his most recent win coming in the Super Regional clincher against Florida State last Saturday.
Tobias, the hot-swinging third baseman, leads Florida with a .373 batting average — the second-highest hitting clip among players in the College World Series — while batting as a switch hitter for the first time in his career. The Greensboro, North Carolina, native also has career-best marks in home runs (five), doubles (14), triples (five), and RBIs (41). He’s reached base in 27 consecutive games, dating back to Florida’s series opener against Mississippi State on April 17.
Tobias has also been one of Florida’s many rocks on defense, committing just one error in 131 chances, most of which came at third base.
And just as much as coach Kevin O’Sullivan needs the JJ Schwarzes and the Harrison Baders and the A.J Puks and Logan Shores to stay hot and continue the grooves they’ve been on since the postseason began, the Gators need the guidance of Tobias and Poyner to keep the team’s composure.
They have the experience of playing in front of 25,000 roaring fans at TD Ameritrade Park.
They have the knowledge of playing in Omaha and what the field has to offer.
And they also have the mind-numbing memory of leaving Omaha empty handed after losing its opening two games and being eliminated at the hands of Kent State and then not return for redemption either of the next two years.
So when Saturday rolls around and the first pitch is thrown, everything will be up for grabs.
And you can be sure Tobias and Poyner — and the rest of the Gators — will give it their all.
Play ball.
"I just kind of thought it was what happens next as a freshman," Poyner said. "Now I understand the stage and kind of what it’s about. I think we’ve got a good shot."
Follow Jordan McPherson on Twitter @J_McPherson1126.
UF's Bobby Poyner throws a slider during Florida's 14-3 win against the South Carolina Gamecocks on April 11, 2015 at McKethan Stadium.
