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Virginia beats Florida, 5-4, in return to College World Series finals

Virginia catcher Matt Thaiss celebrates after scoring on a two-run double by infielder Kenny Towns during the fifth inning of a College World Series game Saturday against Florida.

Virginia catcher Matt Thaiss celebrates after scoring on a two-run double by infielder Kenny Towns during the fifth inning of a College World Series game Saturday against Florida.

(Mike Theiler / Associated Press)
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Kenny Towns drove in three runs, including the winner in the seventh, and Josh Sborz pitched four innings of shutout relief as Virginia defeated Florida, 5-4, on Saturday night to set up a College World Series finals rematch against Vanderbilt.

Virginia (42-23), which lost 10-5 to Florida on Friday, took two of three CWS games against the Gators (52-18) and now has won eight of its nine NCAA Tournament games.

The Cavaliers open the best-of-three finals against a Vanderbilt team that beat them in three games for the championship last year.

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It will be the first CWS finals rematch since Oregon State beat North Carolina in 2006-07.

Sborz (6-2) ran his shutout innings streak to 23 since May 15, getting Richie Martin to ground out after Harrison Bader reached on a two-out single in the ninth. Danny Lewis (6-2) took the loss.

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