#Gamecocks fend off Florida rally and clinch series with 9-8 win (AUDIO)

Ethan Petry and Dalton Reeves each hit two-run homers and a freshman reliever foiled Florida’s rally, leading the Gamecocks to a heart-stopping 9-8 victory over the Gators in Gainesville, Fla., Saturday.

South Carolina’s hitters did their damage early, giving the bullpen just enough line to reel in the series-clinching win.

USC came out swinging and pummeled Gators starter Pierce Coppola, who gave up four earned runs and couldn’t get out of the second. Petry got the scoring started with his 14th homer, a two-run blast to right-center in the top of the first. Florida’s two-way star Jac Caglianone answered with a two-run shot in the home half of the first, but the Gamecocks had Coppola’s number and fired back in the second.

Gamecocks DH Reeves was hit by a pitch and Will Tippett doubled him to third, chasing Coppola in the process. The Gators brought in righty Liam Peterson to face Cole Messina. Peterson fared no better than Coppola, however, and promptly surrendered a two-run double to the Carolina backstop. Petry singled home Messina on the first pitch he saw to put USC up 5-2.

Reeves, a Presbyterian College transfer who’s been seeing more action since going deep twice and driving in six runs against his former team, homered in the seventh to extend the lead to 8-3. Tippett doubled for the second time and came around to score after Caglianone lost Parker Noland’s popup in the early evening sun. The ball landed softly just beyond the infield dirt behind first base, providing what turned out to be a crucial insurance run.

The Gators, who had won 15 straight series in Gainesville and hadn’t lost a home series to Carolina since 2011, got the better of USC’s middle relievers and chiseled away at the lead. Florida plated a run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly and scored four times in the eighth, trimming the lead to one heading into the ninth. Having lost the momentum and needing three more outs, head coach Mark Kingston called on freshman righthander Tyler Pitzer to douse the flames.

Pitzer fanned the first batter he faced but walked the next. A single to left put runners on first and second with just one out. Pitzer, in a jam of his own making, peppered the zone and fanned the next batter on four pitches. Needing just one more out, the freshman forced Gators centerfielder Michael Robertson into an 0-2 hole before inducing a groundout to pick up his first save and clinch the series.

The Gamecocks (25-10, 8-6), winners of four straight, will go for the sweep at noon, Sunday.

Box Score

Mark Kingston postgame comments