March 27, 2005
Gainesville, Fla. – Connor Falkenbach, making his third relief appearance of the series, pitched five shutout innings Sunday as Florida banged out 11 hits to defeat South Carolina 6-1 and win a Southeastern Conference baseball series two games to one.
Falkenbach, who worked an inning and two thirds Friday in South Carolina’s 2-0 win and another inning and two thirds in the 7-3 Florida win on Saturday, relieved Sunday starter Alan Horne with no outs and two South Carolina runners on base in the fifth inning Sunday. He retired the next three Gamecocks and over the final five innings allowed just two base runners, a sixth inning double by Brendan Winn and an infield single in the seventh by Steven Tolleson.
Jason Fletcher, 2-1, started for South Carolina and was charged with the loss. He allowed three hits and two runs in two innings.
Falkenbach earned his first win of the season to even his record at 1-1 as Florida improved to 19-7, 3-3 in the SEC. South Carolina dropped to 19-5, 2-4.
Jeff Corsaletti and Justin Tordi each drove in two runs for Florida with two hits apiece. Corsaletti hit a solo home run in th4e third inning and was credited with a sacrifice fly when Brandon McArthur scored from second base on Corsaletti’s long fly ball to center field. Corsaletti, Tordi and Brian Jeroloman had two hits.
South Carolina managed five hits, one each by five different players, with the double by Winn the only extra base Gamecock hit. Michael Campbell drove in the South Carolina run with a first inning single following two walks.
Florida took the lead with two runs in the second inning on back to back doubles by Gavin Dickey and Jeroloman and Tordi’s two RBI single. The Jeroloman double was a wind blown pop fly the advanced Dickey only one base. The Gators added single runs in the third, fifth, seventh and eighth innings.
South Carolina returns to Sarge Frye Field for a Tuesday night non-conference game with Brown, goes to The Citadel on Wednesday night and meets Georgia next weekend at Sarge Frye for a three game SEC series.
