Florida Rides Big Inning to Sweep South Carolina

The Florida baseball team brought their brooms to McKethan Stadium on Saturday. The Gators won 14 to 5 to complete their first weekend sweep of the season. Florida is currently on a five-game win streak and improved to 19-18 and 8-7 in SEC play. South Carolina fell to 27-10 and 8-7 in conference play.

The Gamecocks got on the scoreboard in the top of the second off of Florida starter Jay Carmichael to take the 1-0 lead. Carmichael left the game early in his return for the Gators only going 1.2 innings, allowing two hits, one run, two walks, while fanning two.

The Gators then turned to the southpaw Bobby Poyner with the bases loaded in relief of Carmichael. Poyner was able to get a fly out to center to keep the damage at only one run.

Florida then answered back scoring four runs off of five hits in the bottom of the second to take a 4-1 lead. South Carolina got two runs back in the top of the third off of a two-run homer off the bat of second baseman Max Shrock, cutting Florida’s lead to 4-3. The Gators then sent out DH Justin Shafer to take the mound (3.0 innings two hits, one run three walks, three strikeouts).  Shafer says he just wanted to keep it a one run game.

The Gators threatened in the bottom of the third with back to back hits to open the inning but were turned away by South Carolina reliever Jack Wynkoop.

The Gamecocks tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the sixth, but like their first lead, it didn’t last long. Florida exploded for 10 runs off of eight hits in the bottom of the sixth. Every Gator scored in the inning and first baseman Vickash Ramjit doubled and scored twice in the frame. Florida Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan says innings like that are rare.

It was the first time UF plated 10 runs in an inning since April 2nd, 2005 when they scored 11 against the Kentucky Wildcats. The Gators are above the .500 mark for the first time since February 22nd when they were 3-2. O’Sullivan says they overcame the tough part of the schedule.

Next up for the Gators is a trip to Fort Myers to face off against Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday to start a four game road trip. Shafer says the team will continue to try and keep it going against the Eagles.

You can catch all of the action on ESPN Radio 850/900 beginning at 6:55pm.