COLUMBIA, S.C– No. 3 Florida battled for nine innings but ultimately dropped game three to No. 6 South Carolina by a score of 7-5 at Founders Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Gamecocks (34-6, 13-4 SEC) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first on a two-run homer to left field by Braylen Wimmer. Cade Kurland quickly got one back for the Gators (31-10, 11-7 SEC), blasting a long home run to right-center field to cut the deficit to one run.
South Carolina regained a two-run lead in the second. Wimmer produced an RBI groundout to shortstop to bring home Will Tippett. Ethan Petry later added a two-run double in the fourth to make it 5-1.
In the top of the fifth, Kurland gave the Orange & Blue another boost. Hitting it to nearly the same location as his first, the freshman uncorked a solo shot to right-center field for his second homer of the game and 12th of the campaign.
The Gamecocks quickly got the run back, using a Jonathan French RBI single to center to push the score to 6-2 in the bottom of the fifth.
Florida did not go quietly, plating a pair of runs in the eighth to draw within two. With two outs in the frame, Jac Caglianone drove in Michael Robertson with an RBI double down the right-field line. One batter later, Josh Rivera came through with an RBI single off the left-field wall to plate Caglianone.
South Carolina added a late insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. With the bases loaded and no outs, Cole Messina grounded into a six-three double play as Brewer crossed home to bring the score to 7-4.
The Gators made it interesting in the ninth, beginning with a one-out single by Robertson. Tyler Shelnut then reached on a fielding error by USC pitcher Chris Veach, allowing Robertson to race home and cut the score to 7-5 – but that proved to be all for the Orange & Blue.
Caglianone dropped to 4-2, allowing four earned runs in three-plus innings. The southpaw surrendered three hits and six walks while striking out four.
South Carolina starting pitcher Matthew Becker improved to 4-0 with five innings of two-run ball on two hits and one walk. He struck out six. Veach earned the save, throwing one inning with one unearned run allowed on one hit while striking out one.