OMAHA, Neb. — Michael Roth turned in another strong College World Series start, Erik Payne’s bases-loaded triple scored the go-ahead runs, and South Carolina began the last leg of its pursuit of a third straight national title with a 7-3 win over Florida on Saturday night.
South Carolina (46-17) extended its record NCAA-tournament win streak to 22 games by beating its SEC rival and 2011 national runner-up for only the second time in five tries this season.
“I know we’ve had a pretty good run, but it doesn’t feel like that,” Gamecocks coach Ray Tanner said. “It’s kind of like we’re getting to play baseball, having fun. Our season has been extended. We just try to play hard and play with some awareness and hope some good things happen. We’ve had a little luck along the way.”
Roth (8-1), making his eighth appearance in three years in Omaha, left with one out in the seventh after Florida’s first two batters reached in a two-run game. Tyler Webb got the Gamecocks out of trouble, and Matt Price pitched the last two innings for his 12th save.
Payne’s triple off Brian Johnson (8-5) highlighted a fifth inning in which the Gamecocks turned a 2-0 deficit into a 5-2 lead over the Gators (47-19).
“There’s a reason why they have such a winning streak postseason,” Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “They had some momentum there in the fifth, and it felt like it just got passed down from guy to guy. Obviously we weren’t able to stop it there in the fifth, and that was probably the difference in the ball game.”
After batting just .219 in losing three of their first four against the Gators this season, the Gamecocks had 12 hits against six pitchers.
The Gamecocks were 0-for-their-first-9 with runners in scoring position Saturday, and they stranded seven through four innings, including leaving the bases loaded in the first.
Evan Marzilli hit his second double of the game leading off the fifth, and Johnson walked Adam Matthews to load the bases with none out.
Payne, the designated hitter who appeared in only one of the Gamecocks’ previous five games, drove a low liner into the right-center gap. LB Dantzler then knocked out Johnson with a double to deep center for a 4-2 lead.
Dantzler came home on Chase Vergason’s single up the middle off Greg Larson. The five runs matched the most allowed by Florida in an inning this season.
Arkansas 8, Kent St. 1
DJ Baxendale and Brandon Moore combined on a four-hitter, Jake Wise homered for the first time since February, and Arkansas spoiled Kent State’s first appearance in the College World Series.
Baxendale didn’t allow a hit until Sawyer Polen’s infield single with two out in the fifth. He held the Golden Flashes (46-19) scoreless until Jimmy Rider homered in the sixth.
Arkansas (45-20) broke open the game on Matt Vinson’s two-run double that made it 5-1 in the bottom of the sixth. Baxendale (8-5) allowed just three hits, giving way to Moore with one out in the seventh. He struck out five and walked one.
Kent State starter David Starn (11-4) walked three of the first four batters he faced and left after Vinson’s two-out double.
