ICYMI: South Carolina Baseball Sweeps No. 3 Florida

Gamecock baseball completed a phenomenal weekend of play, defeating third ranked Florida in back-to-back-to-back fashion for the series sweep.
ICYMI: South Carolina Baseball Sweeps No. 3 Florida
ICYMI: South Carolina Baseball Sweeps No. 3 Florida /

After last weekend's first series loss of the year, South Carolina looked to bounce back against Florida. The Gamecocks and Gators have both had tremendous seasons, leading to their top-six national rankings. The series also featured baseball's two home run leaders, Florida's Jac Caglianone and Carolina's Ethan Petry. The stage was set for a highly anticipated bout in Columbia.

Friday's game one began as a close affair. Neither team scored heavily, and the game was tied through the middle-sixth. Then, Carolina caught fire behind strong plate discipline. Five straight batters were walked unintentionally by two different Florida pitchers, and the Gamecocks gained an 8-3 lead. The seventh inning was just as dominant, but rather than plate discipline, batting prowess shined. Another three runs scored before the inning's third out, and the Gamecocks had a bases loaded opportunity with Cole Messina at the plate. Messina took full advantage of this opportunity, launching a pitch to the center field wall for a run-rule walk-off double, to win 13-3.

Game two began poorly for Carolina. Caglianone homered in the top of the first to give Florida a 1-0 lead, but Florida's lead didn't last long. Messina homered in the first as well with a runner on base, so the Gamecocks took a 2-1 lead. In the second, Jack Mahoney buckled down and held the Gators scoreless. Then, an Ethan Petry three-run homer raised Carolina's lead to 5-1, putting away the game. Florida scored once on an error in the fifth, but the contest resulted in a 5-2 Gamecock victory.

With two games down, all the Gamecocks needed for the coveted series sweep was a game three win. South Carolina started strong and never looked back. A Braylon Wimmer two-run homer took the lead in the first, and the second inning was a 1-1 draw, resulting in a 3-1 score through two. After a scoreless third inning, Gamecock downpour ensued. Strong batting doubled scoring to a 6-2 lead through five innings. Six runs would prove to be enough for Carolina despite a late rally by the Gators. The Gamecocks held on to win 7-5 and completed their series sweep.

Florida hadn't lost a series all season, so South Carolina completing the sweep, is an impressive feat and a signature win. The Gamecocks improved to 34-6 on the season and will be back in action, Friday, for a series against Auburn.

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Matthew Bishop
MATTHEW BISHOP