OMAHA, Neb. - Florida may have more talent, more pro potential, more tags of being destiny's darling after being so close to the national championship for three straight years.
But South Carolina has those, those … Moments.
"It's hard to talk about it," coach Ray Tanner said, after the No. 7 Gamecocks beat the No. 1 Gators 7-3 for an opening-game win at the College World Series. "I know we've had a pretty good run. It doesn't feel like that.
"These guys just enjoy playing. They don't get caught up in things you can't control. We just try to play hard and play with some awareness and hope some good things happen."
They do. To the Gators' chagrin and the Gamecocks' joy, they do.
Erik Payne, a sophomore with a lot of talent but not a lot of places to display it, broke the game open with a three-run triple, igniting a five-run fifth inning that put the Gamecocks ahead to stay. Evan Marzilli, a plus center fielder who hardly ever gets his due because predecessor Jackie Bradley Jr. re-defined the position, soared into the nation's consciousness with a magnificent diving catch to rob Daniel Pigott of extra bases and bail Matt Price out of a potentially sticky situation in the eighth. Tyler Webb kept adding to his fine season by inducing a bases-loaded line-out from Brian Johnson in the seventh.
And just as in last year's national championship series against the Gators, the Gamecocks let their plays work for them, and then gleefully took advantage of Florida's mistakes.
The top-seeded Gators (47-19) had two different relievers throw two straight wild pitches to hand the Gamecocks a run in the ninth inning, then let another score on two errors. Florida came into the series facing questions about responding to pressure - for one game at least, it showed that there are definitely still some concerns.
"They got a momentum thing going on right now, and obviously, we weren't able to stop it in the fifth inning," coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "We just didn't have a clean inning that (ninth) inning."
Ahead four runs with their mojo working, the Gamecocks turned the ball back over to Price, who had struck out Casey Turgeon and Justin Shafer after Marzilli saved the day with his eighth-inning catch. Price put two men on in the ninth and was facing Dick Howser Trophy winner Mike Zunino with a 2-2 count, but got one more of those "Gamecock plays" to end the game.
Zunino tapped in front of the plate. Catcher Grayson Greiner, who had subbed in during the game for the first time in three weeks after a knee injury, bobbled the ball. He recovered, threw to first base and Christian Walker calmly gloved and stepped as Zunino ran through.
Game, set, match. Twenty-two straight in the postseason. Twelve straight in Omaha.
Three straight over Florida in the CWS.
"We kept hanging around and had the big five-run fifth," Tanner said. "Any time you play a team like the Gators, every pitch is a big deal. It was pretty much like that tonight."
USC (46-17) advanced to face fellow SEC foe Arkansas (45-20) at 9 p.m. on Monday in the winner's bracket, which will have that winner just one win away from playing for the national championship. It's the second straight CWS opener that the Gamecocks have won, after losing their previous seven, and had folks again shaking their heads about what USC has going for it right now.
Whatever it is, it's got a strong chance to continue. The win gave USC a chance to set up its pitching, with ace Michael Roth (8-1) potentially ready for the Gamecocks' third game - if Colby Holmes can get USC a win over the Razorbacks, it's a strong bet that Roth would start the bracket championship final, with freshman Jordan Montgomery waiting in the wings.
"Coach Tanner and I will probably talk about that soon," Roth said.
"That means I'll be doing a lot of listening," Tanner quipped.
Roth picked up the win after starting his sixth career game in Omaha. He gave up more runs than he ever has in a CWS start but his teammates picked him up.
Payne delivered the biggest blow, breaking USC from a game-long offensive drought with a three-run triple in the fifth inning. LB Dantzler socked an RBI double over Pigott's head in center field for the Gamecocks' fourth run, and Chase Vergason drove in the final nail on a five-run fifth.
"I was just trying to keep my hands still and stay balanced and work the whole field," Payne said. "I got a fastball that I could drive and I split a gap. I was fortunate enough that it fell."
Webb retired Johnson to squelch a bases-loaded Florida jam in the seventh, which got Price on for the eighth. Price got six outs to record his 42nd career save, making him the SEC's all-time leader and leaving him in eighth place on the NCAA's list.
It was all after USC stranded five runners in the first three innings and Florida scored two runs when Tanner English misplayed a ball in left field. The Gamecocks, though, never looked rattled - when it was still 5-3 and Webb was facing Johnson with the bases loaded, USC's dugout crew had their arms wrapped around each other, singing "Don't Stop Believin'."
More magic, more winning. The Gamecocks love it in Omaha.
"We're probably here because of the leadership of our older guys," Tanner said. "And we've got some guys that can play some roles. We've got the veteran players that I've mentioned, they sort of have to take us - they have to lead for us, and we got to get some contribution from the rest of those guys, just like Payne stepped up tonight for us."
link: http://southcarolina.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1376262
But South Carolina has those, those … Moments.
"It's hard to talk about it," coach Ray Tanner said, after the No. 7 Gamecocks beat the No. 1 Gators 7-3 for an opening-game win at the College World Series. "I know we've had a pretty good run. It doesn't feel like that.
"These guys just enjoy playing. They don't get caught up in things you can't control. We just try to play hard and play with some awareness and hope some good things happen."
They do. To the Gators' chagrin and the Gamecocks' joy, they do.
Erik Payne, a sophomore with a lot of talent but not a lot of places to display it, broke the game open with a three-run triple, igniting a five-run fifth inning that put the Gamecocks ahead to stay. Evan Marzilli, a plus center fielder who hardly ever gets his due because predecessor Jackie Bradley Jr. re-defined the position, soared into the nation's consciousness with a magnificent diving catch to rob Daniel Pigott of extra bases and bail Matt Price out of a potentially sticky situation in the eighth. Tyler Webb kept adding to his fine season by inducing a bases-loaded line-out from Brian Johnson in the seventh.
And just as in last year's national championship series against the Gators, the Gamecocks let their plays work for them, and then gleefully took advantage of Florida's mistakes.
The top-seeded Gators (47-19) had two different relievers throw two straight wild pitches to hand the Gamecocks a run in the ninth inning, then let another score on two errors. Florida came into the series facing questions about responding to pressure - for one game at least, it showed that there are definitely still some concerns.
"They got a momentum thing going on right now, and obviously, we weren't able to stop it in the fifth inning," coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "We just didn't have a clean inning that (ninth) inning."
Ahead four runs with their mojo working, the Gamecocks turned the ball back over to Price, who had struck out Casey Turgeon and Justin Shafer after Marzilli saved the day with his eighth-inning catch. Price put two men on in the ninth and was facing Dick Howser Trophy winner Mike Zunino with a 2-2 count, but got one more of those "Gamecock plays" to end the game.
Zunino tapped in front of the plate. Catcher Grayson Greiner, who had subbed in during the game for the first time in three weeks after a knee injury, bobbled the ball. He recovered, threw to first base and Christian Walker calmly gloved and stepped as Zunino ran through.
Game, set, match. Twenty-two straight in the postseason. Twelve straight in Omaha.
Three straight over Florida in the CWS.
"We kept hanging around and had the big five-run fifth," Tanner said. "Any time you play a team like the Gators, every pitch is a big deal. It was pretty much like that tonight."
USC (46-17) advanced to face fellow SEC foe Arkansas (45-20) at 9 p.m. on Monday in the winner's bracket, which will have that winner just one win away from playing for the national championship. It's the second straight CWS opener that the Gamecocks have won, after losing their previous seven, and had folks again shaking their heads about what USC has going for it right now.
Whatever it is, it's got a strong chance to continue. The win gave USC a chance to set up its pitching, with ace Michael Roth (8-1) potentially ready for the Gamecocks' third game - if Colby Holmes can get USC a win over the Razorbacks, it's a strong bet that Roth would start the bracket championship final, with freshman Jordan Montgomery waiting in the wings.
"Coach Tanner and I will probably talk about that soon," Roth said.
"That means I'll be doing a lot of listening," Tanner quipped.
Roth picked up the win after starting his sixth career game in Omaha. He gave up more runs than he ever has in a CWS start but his teammates picked him up.
Payne delivered the biggest blow, breaking USC from a game-long offensive drought with a three-run triple in the fifth inning. LB Dantzler socked an RBI double over Pigott's head in center field for the Gamecocks' fourth run, and Chase Vergason drove in the final nail on a five-run fifth.
"I was just trying to keep my hands still and stay balanced and work the whole field," Payne said. "I got a fastball that I could drive and I split a gap. I was fortunate enough that it fell."
Webb retired Johnson to squelch a bases-loaded Florida jam in the seventh, which got Price on for the eighth. Price got six outs to record his 42nd career save, making him the SEC's all-time leader and leaving him in eighth place on the NCAA's list.
It was all after USC stranded five runners in the first three innings and Florida scored two runs when Tanner English misplayed a ball in left field. The Gamecocks, though, never looked rattled - when it was still 5-3 and Webb was facing Johnson with the bases loaded, USC's dugout crew had their arms wrapped around each other, singing "Don't Stop Believin'."
More magic, more winning. The Gamecocks love it in Omaha.
"We're probably here because of the leadership of our older guys," Tanner said. "And we've got some guys that can play some roles. We've got the veteran players that I've mentioned, they sort of have to take us - they have to lead for us, and we got to get some contribution from the rest of those guys, just like Payne stepped up tonight for us."
link: http://southcarolina.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1376262