May 22, 2008
SEC Tournament Notes (5/22/08) in PDF Format 
Hoover, Ala. – South Carolina scored five runs in both the second and eighth innings and behind a solid seven inning effort from senior right-hander Nick Godwin earned an 11-3 win over Florida on day two of the SEC Tournament in an elimination game. Carolina junior first baseman became the seventh player in SEC history to record 60 or more career homers and also set a South Carolina career record for RBI with 200 in his three seasons with the Garnet & Black. Carolina improves to 38-20 on the year with the loss dropping Florida to 34-22 this season. The Gamecocks will meet the loser of the LSU-Vanderbilt game on Friday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 4 pm ET and the game broadcast live on FSN South and the Gamecock Radio Network.
“I know that coaches say this all the time but I’m really proud of our guys,” said head coach Ray Tanner. “They bounced back from yesterday, which was a tough loss for us but they responded and got the win. That just shows the kind of character this team has. I’m delighted that we are staying here.”
Godwin limited the Gators with three runs on nine hits in his seven-inning effort to improve to 7-3 on the year. He struck out seven and walked just one. Carolina junior right-hander Mike Cisco relieved Godwin and pitched two scoreless innings to earn a save. He allowed just one hit. It marked Cisco’s second relief performance of the year. Florida starting pitcher Billy Bullock lasted only 1.1 innings and allowed five runs on six hits to suffer the loss. He is 4-4 for the year for Florida.
“I thought that Nick (Godwin) had pretty good legs on his fastball,” said Tanner. “He hasn’t thrown in many SEC games and didn’t have many opportunities last year but he’s had more this year and he has cashed in on them. I thought he was tremendous. I feel good that he is wearing our uniform.”
The game remained close despite Carolina’s five-run second inning with the Gators within three runs and with a pair of runners on base in the bottom of the seventh inning. Facing his final hitter of the day, Godwin coaxed UF cleanup hitter Brandon McArthur into a pop up to shortstop Reese Havens to end the Gator three and preserve a three-run South Carolina lead. With the Gamecocks on top by three runs, Cisco entered in the eighth inning and kept the Gators at bay allowing just one hit. South Carolina provided him with insurance with five runs in the bottom of the eighth. Scott Wingo drove in a run with a single and Whit Merrifield tallied a sacrifice fly RBI before setting the stage for Justin Smoak. With a pair of runners on base, Smoak launched a 1-0 fast ball from UF reliever Josh Edmondson over the wall in center field for his 60th career home run and his team-leading 21st of the season. He also set the school record for RBI with the homer as he reached the 200 mark with his three-run shot that gave South Carolina a commanding 11-3 lead.
“It’s just an honor,” said Justin Smoak. “Having the RBI and home run record is nice, but I want to win ball games. I just do what I need to do win ball games but this is nice. Today was a big win. Yesterday was tough and having Nick (Godwin) and Mike (Cisco) come in and pitch as well as they did was big for us.”
South Carolina and Florida each had 10 hits on the afternoon. Merrifield and designated Parker Bangs led USC with two hits apiece. Smoak finished with four RBI. The Gators had two players each record three hits with Cole Figueroa batting 3-for-3 and Matt den Dekker going 3-for-4 with three runs scored. McArthur also finished with two RBI.
Florida took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Matt den Dekker reached base on a one-out single and advanced to third as Figueroa followed him with a base hit to right field. McArthur would drive in den Dekker with a sacrifice fly to right field.
South Carolina grabbed a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Carolina sent 11 batters to the plate in the second inning and knocked out Florida starting pitcher Billy Bullock in the process. The frame opened with a leadoff walk to Phil Disher with DeAngelo Mack following with a base hit to right field giving the Gamecocks runners on first and second base. Bangs drove in South Carolina’s first run with a RBI double down the right field line. USC then grabbed the lead on a bloop RBI single to left field from Harley Lail that scored Disher and gave Carolina runners on the corners. After a single from Whit Merrifield loaded the bases, the Gators would go to the bullpen for freshman right-hander Tommy Toledo. Toledo would struggle with his control early as he walked in a pair of runs as both Smoak and James Darnell drew RBI bases on balls after working full counts against the Gator right-hander.
Florida pushed across a run in the third inning as den Dekker reached base on a leadoff walk and would score on a RBI single from Brandon McArthur. The Gators crept to within two in the fifth inning as den Dekker reached base for a third time with a one-out double and scored on Cole Figueroa’s RBI single up the middle. Godwin worked his way out of a jam with Figueroa on third with one out as he struck out McArthur and induced Josh Adams into a fly out to center field to preserve a two-run cushion. South Carolina regained control with a single run in the bottom half of the fifth with a double from James Darnell, who then reached third on a throwing error by Figueroa. Disher would drive him in with a RBI ground out.
Thursday’s win marked the second straight year that South Carolina has eliminated Florida and three of four wins for Carolina this year vs. the Gators. South Carolina’s 11 run total was the most by the Gamecocks in the SEC Tournament since a 12-2 victory in Carolina’s opener of the 2005 Tournament. Florida’s 0-2 finish was the first time for Florida at the SEC Tournament since it was moved to Hoover. The last time the Gators went 0-2 was in the 1995 tournament that was split into divisions.
