Florida's Waldrep racks up whiffs in Omaha

Hurston Waldrep has been nothing short of brilliant in the 2023 College World Series for Florida, and Sunday’s start further cemented that sentiment.

MLB’s No. 20 Draft prospect whiffed 12 batters in six frames of work, propelling the Gators to a 5-4 victory over Oral Roberts. Florida is one win away from the program's first finals appearance since winning it all in 2017.

Ever since his first start of the tournament on June 4, the right-hander has been nearly impossible to score against. In three outings, Waldrep has allowed just two earned runs while amassing double-digit whiffs all three times -- 12 against Connecticut, 13 against South Carolina and another dozen on Sunday equal 37 strikeouts in 21 innings.

The 21-year-old allowed 10 baserunners on Sunday in the form of seven hits and three walks, but Waldrep was able to limit the Golden Eagles to just one run by utilizing his three-pitch arsenal of fastballs, sliders and splitters. He generated 17 swings-and-misses and threw 66% of his 103 pitches for strikes.

Waldrep, a junior transfer from Southern Mississippi, is no stranger to generating whiffs in the NCAA tournament. In two postseason starts in 2022 for his old program, the 6-foot-2 hurler whiffed 23 batters in 11 2/3 frames. He has never fanned fewer than 11 batters in a postseason appearance.

Across 99 1/3 innings this season, Waldrep has racked up 154 strikeouts in 18 starts with a 3.99 ERA. He compiled at least 10 strikeouts in seven outings and went at least six innings in 11 of them.