Baseball Clinches Series Win with One-Run Victory at Florida

GAINESVILLE  – Ethan Petry and Dalton Reeves both homered and the University of South Carolina baseball team thwarted a late Florida rally in a 9-8 win over the No. 24 Gators Saturday afternoon (April 13) at Condron Family Ballpark.

Petry opened the scoring with a two-run home run in the first, but Florida answered with a Jac Caglianone two-run home run in the bottom of the frame. The Gamecocks plated three in the top of the second. Cole Messina’s two-run double and Petry’s third RBI of the day made it 5-2 Gamecocks.

With the score 5-3 in the fifth, Reeves walked with the bases loaded to score Kennedy Jones. Reeves then hit a two-run home run in the seventh. After Parker Noland’s double scored a run, Carolina led 9-3. But Florida would answer with a run in the seventh and four in the eighth. Connor McCreery got out of the jam with a line out to Caglianone and a pop out by Colby Shelton.

Tyler Pitzer came in to the game in the ninth and struck out a pair. With runners on first and second, Pitzer got a ground out to end the game.

Roman Kimball earned the win on the mound, striking out a pair and allowing five hits and three runs in three innings. Ty Good struck out four, giving up four hits and three runs in a four-inning start. McCreery gave up a pair of runs in an inning, while Pitzer earned his first save in his career.

Petry and Reeves drove in three runs apiece while Messina had two RBI. Will Tippett joined Petry and Reeves with a pair of hits.

POSTGAME NOTES

• Carolina broke Florida’s 15-series winning streak at home, dating back to the 2022 season.
• Petry now has 37 career home runs after his first-inning blast.
• Carolina has won six straight regular-season games against Florida.

UP NEXT
Carolina and Florida wrap up the three-game series on Sunday, April 14 with a noon first pitch. The game will be televised on SEC Network with Derek Jones and Lance Cormier on the call.