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Let's look at the positives from this game first:
- Kyle Martin homered
- Kyle Martin hit for the cycle - the first South Carolina player to do so since Brendan Winn did it in 2004 The list of negative things that happened in this game is much longer. In summary, the Gamecocks continue to make the same mistakes and have the same problems they've had all year. There are fielding mistakes. There is not much offense. There is a clear lack of good coaching. There is a clear lack of good fundamentals.
Things looked promising early on, as Martin's homer gave South Carolina a 2-0 lead in the first inning. The Gators tied it up, then took a 4-2 lead, in the second. Then there was a rain delay. In the third inning, the Gamecocks had the bases loaded with two outs. They got nothing out of it.
Florida's Richie Martin belted a three-run homer in the fifth (good day to be a guy whose last name was Martin), putting the Gators up 7-2. Dalton Guthrie singled in the sixth to give Florida another run, and then they made it 9-2 on an error.
South Carolina had the bases loaded in the seventh with two outs. They got nothing out of it. The Gators hit double digits in the bottom of the inning after Josh Tobias doubled, there was a wild pitch, and then a balk.
DC Arendas knocked a two-run single in the eighth inning to make its 10-4. Richie Martin - who had six RBI in the game - grounded into a double play that got another run in for Florida in the bottom of the inning, then Harrison Bader went yard to make it 12-4. Kyle Martin tripled in the ninth, then came home on a single from Elliott Caldwell.
Jack Wynkoop - who was again the victim of poor defense behind him - took the loss and drops to 4-4. Clarke Schmidt and Matthew Vogel also pitched for the Gamecocks in this game. The Gators' A.J. Puk earned the win and is now 6-3.
South Carolina falls to 23-13 overall and 6-8 in the SEC, while Florida improves to 27-9 overall and 8-6 in conference play. The Gamecocks will try to avoid being swept when the teams meet again tomorrow at noon.