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The Florida Gators baseball team got to enjoy the opening ceremony of the College World series Thursday as Gators head coach Kevin O’Sullivan called it something special. However, now it’s down to work as Florida gets ready to take on reigning champion South Carolina.
The Gamecocks are the team who knocked the Gators out last year, sweeping Florida out of the CWS final en route to thier national championship. This year, the Gators are 3-1 against the Gamecocks, including a three game win streak capped by a SEC tournament win. Florida senior pitcher Greg Larson says that the team is fired up to play the team that beat them.
Florida looks to start first round draft pick Brian Johnson (8-4 3.56), while South Carolina will bring ace Michael Roth (7-1 2.50). Johnson says that his arm is feeling good.
The Gators offense had gone through some struggles offensively throughtout the year, but the bats are starting to look good. The bats came alive as they beat NC State 9-8 in a grind it out win for the super regional. Gators catcher Mike Zunino says the team is getting hot.
The offense is coming both from the traditional leaders of this team, the draftees like Zunino and OF Preston Tucker, but the young guys like freshman 2B Casey Turgeon and 3B Josh Tobias really shined in the super regional against NC State.
It all gets underway Friday night for the Gators and you can catch all the action on our sister station, Country 103-7 The Gator with coverage starting at 8:50 PM.
