Florida Vs. South Carolina Score, Game 2: South Carolina Heads Into Ninth Inning With 5-2 Lead

With well over 100 pitches under his belt, Michael Roth again returned to the mound to face the heart of the Gators’ lineup to start the eighth inning. Florida leadoff man Nolan Fontana failed to do damage, grounding out to second base to record the first out.

Then, as he has throughout the game, catcher Mike Zunino started off the Gator attack, cracking a double to right field. Thus far the sophomore is 3-3 on the night, with a homerun and a walk. Regardless of what happens, this is a fantastic redemption game for Zunino.

Roth continued to press on, inducing Preston Tucker to groundout to second base for the second out of the inning. However, the contact allowed Zunino to advance to third successfully, and Gamecocks manager Ray Tanner finally decided it was time to give his ace a break.

In came John Taylor, the hard-throwing right-hander with a stifling 1.14 ERA. But Josh Adams -- clearly relieved to have chased off Roth -- lined up and instantly blasted a single to right field, bringing Zunino home easily.

With the score 4-2, and the tying run at the plate, Tanner decided it was time to bring in his big gun. On less than a day’s rest, closer Matt Price replaced Taylor for the Gamecocks and made short work of Tyler Thompson, striking out the junior on just five pitches to end the top of the inning.

However, the Gamecocks would not rest on their laurels. Still trying be the aggressors, Robert Beary singled up the middle off Florida’s Steven Rodriguez to start off the bottom of the eighth inning. As has become second nature for South Carolina, Beary was quickly moved over to second via a sacrifice bunt. He then advanced the third on a wild pitch.

Up came Scott Wingo, who nailed a single through the right side and brought Beary home. And just like that, the Gators momentum was gone due to another perfectly manufactured Gamecock run.

The Gators eventually worked out of the jam, as Greg Larson induced an Adam Matthews groundout, but once again the damage was already done. The score sits, 5-2, the Gamecocks on the verge of a second consecutive championship, as we head into the ninth inning.

For more on the South Carolina baseball and Florida baseball teams, visit SB Nation’s South Carolina blog Garnet and Black Attack and Florida blog Alligator Army. For more on the 2011 College World Series, visit our CWS hub.