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Gators strike first: Florida 3, South Carolina 2
Florida relievers shut down USC
Written by NEIL WHITE, The State (nwhite@thestate.com)
Posted on 05.21.10
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Blake Coopers first loss of the season came at a most inopportune time for the South Carolina baseball team.
By handing the USC right-hander a 3-2 defeat Thursday night in the opening game of a three-game series at Carolina Stadium, Florida moved within one win of clinching the SEC regular-season title.
Cooper, who fell to 10-1, pitched well enough to win, but a trio of Florida relievers slammed the door on the Gamecocks with four scoreless innings at the end of the game to take charge in the conference title chase. The No. 4 Gators improved to 39-12 overall and 21-7 in the SEC, while the No. 6 Gamecocks dropped to 42-12 and 20-8.
The teams, who played before 8,188 fans Thursday, the third-largest crowd in ballpark history, meet again at 7 tonight. USC right-hander Sam Dyson (5-4) will oppose Florida right-hander Hudson Randall (6-3).
Cooper allowed three runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings. In the process, USC lost the opening game in an SEC series for the first time all season.
I felt like I went out there and did what Ive done all year, said Cooper, who lamented that it wasnt quite enough to get a win.
But Cooper didnt blame the offense, which left the bases loaded in the third and fourth innings.
I cant put it on the team, he said. We didnt get it done today, but well come out ready tomorrow.
USC coach Ray Tanner called it a great college baseball game in which both teams played well. He doesnt like being a game down with two to play, but he does like still having a chance to win the title.
I dont feel real good right now, but tomorrows a new day, he said.
South Carolina knocked Florida starter Alex Panteliodis out of the box in the fourth after he gave up four consecutive one-out hits, which included a pair of bunt singles and an RBI single by Bobby Haney to cut Floridas lead to 3-1. But the Gators got out of the bases-loaded trouble when reliever Jeff Barfield (4-0) came on to strike out Whit Merrifield and Jackie Bradley.
I thought that was a big key, Tanner said.
Barfield was hoping to minimize the damage.
The relievers came into tough situations, he said. You need to have the right mindset to focus on the batters.
The Gamecocks got another run back in the fifth when pinch-hitter Jeffery Jones drilled a solo homer off Barfield to center field to make it 3-2. But they could get no closer, as Floridas hard-throwing lefty closer, Kevin Chapman, threw two scoreless innings to pick up his ninth save.
He was pretty special, Tanner said. That was the report, that he could be a shutdown guy.
The Gamecocks missed out on another opportunity in the seventh when Merrifield led off with a single. But Tanner eschewed the bunt by trying to play more aggressive with Bradley, who struck out. Merrifield then was caught stealing on a failed hit-and-run attempt when Florida pitched out.
They anticipated it coming. Theres not a whole lot you can do, Merrifield said.
The Gators got on the scoreboard first with a pair of runs off Cooper in the third inning. Tyler Thompson led off the frame with a homer into the right-field bullpen. Preston Tuckers two-out RBI single scored Daniel Pigott, who doubled in front of him.
Thompson called it important to grab the lead off Cooper.
It was huge. He knows what hes doing. Hes a real good pitcher. We had to come in and be aggressive, Thompson said.
USC threatened in its half of the third by loading the bases on two-out walks to Merrifield and Bradley and an infield hit by Christian Walker. But Panteliodis, who threw 79 pitches through the first three innings as USC hitters worked deep counts, escaped the jam by getting Parker Bangs to fly out to center.
Florida built its lead to 3-0 in the fourth when Matt den Dekker singled, Brian Johnson doubled, and Josh Adams got the run home with an RBI groundout.
That would prove to be enough, although the Gators know the series isnt over yet.
Its a big win, but weve got to remember that its only one game, Barfield said. Well enjoy it tonight and get right back to it tomorrow.
The Gamecocks also feel the need to put it behind them.
Coach Tanner said to flush it, Jones said. Well be energized and ready for tomorrow.
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