Sports

Gamecocks storm past rival Gators

OMAHA, Neb. — Florida may be the No. 1 overall seed at the College World Series, but South Carolina is still the team to beat.

The two-time defending national champion Gamecocks strengthened their hopes for a three-peat and extended their NCAA-record postseason win-streak to 22 games Saturday night after knocking off the Gators 7-3 in a rematch of last year’s championship series, at TD Ameritrade Park.

No. 1 seed South Carolina (46-17) will take on No. 2 seed Arkansas (45-20) in Monday’s nightcap, preceded by an elimination game between Florida (47-19) and No. 3 seed Kent State (46-19), which dropped the early game 8-1 to the Razorbacks.

“Any time you play a team like the Gators, every pitch was a big deal and it was pretty much like that [last night],” South Carolina coach Ray Tanner said. “Our guys have been consistent. They play hard and they keep scrapping.”

Florida jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning when South Carolina left fielder Tanner English misread a two-out Preston Tucker line drive. The Gamecocks left seven runners on base in the first four innings, but in the fifth inning, South Carolina’s first five runners reached base and scored.

Designated hitter Erik Payne gave the Gamecocks a 3-2 edge and a lead they would never relinquish with a bases-clearing, bases-loaded triple.

“Every player wants to be up there with the bases loaded, but you just got to stay calm and focus on hitting the ball hard,” Payne said. “You can’t be thinking about being in Omaha, you got to kind of simplify things. I got a fastball I could drive and I hit a gap.”

Trailing 5-3, Florida threatened with two runners in scoring position and one out in the seventh inning, but Tucker flew out before Brian Johnson’s rocket to right went right to right fielder Adam Matthews. The Gators officially sealed their fate by allowing two ninth-inning runs on two errors and a wild pitch.

Michael Roth (8-1) earned the win, pitching 6¹/₃ innings and allowing three runs, and Johnson (8-5) took the loss, lasting four innings and surrendering five runs.

Earlier, Arkansas starting pitcher DJ Baxendale (8-5) ruined Kent State’s first-ever game in the College World Series, allowing one run over 6¹/₃ innings while not allowing a hit through 4²/₃ innings. It was the deepest a pitcher had taken a no-hitter at the College World Series in nearly six years.

“I thought DJ was incredible,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. “Hopefully we’ll get him out there again before this is over with.”

Southpaw David Starn (11-4) started for the Golden Flashes, allowing six runs, five hits and six walks. Arkansas catcher Jake Wise gave the Hogs a 2-0 lead in the second inning with a solo home run, the first allowed by Starn in 70 innings.

Matt Vinson, batting .208 entering the game, extended the Razorbacks lead to 5-1 with a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth inning.