If revenge is a dish best served cold, South Carolina should be satisfied with the 10-3 victory over Florida in Gainesville, Fla., Friday. With the win, the Gamecocks got a small measure of revenge for the Super Regional loss at the hands of the Gators roughly ten months ago.
After sweeping Florida at Founders Park in April of last year, South Carolina saw its season end with consecutive postseason losses in Gainesville. In those two games, USC homered twice and managed just four runs. The Gamecocks exceeded that output in Game 1 of the 2024 series, scoring five times in the ninth to put an exclamation point on a signature offensive performance.
Parker Noland opened the scoring with a solo homer in the first. After Florida knotted it up in the third, USC answered with solo shots from Talmadge Lecroy and Will Tippett in the fifth. The Gamecocks poured it on from there, scoring twice in the seventh and five times in the ninth.
Cole Messina finished 3-for-5 with two stolen bases and an RBI in his return from a concussion. Kennedy Jones picked up three RBI on a two-run single and a bases-loaded walk. South Carolina, which came into the game leading the nation in walks, added six more to its tally, Friday.
Eli Jones (3-1, 3.57) bounced back from his rough outing against Texas A&M with six strong innings. The junior righthander held the Gators to one run on five hits and fanned six. Chris Veach retired the last six outs for his second save.
USC (24-10, 7-6) will go for its first series win at Florida since 2011 at 4 p.m., Saturday. Ty Good (4-0, 1.93) will make his second start for the Gamecocks.
