The Gators lost their fifth game in a row Friday in the series-opening game to South Carolina, 10-3. Their offense continues to struggle getting seven hits compared to the Gamecocks’ 13. They fall to below .500 in SEC play with the loss.
The Gamecocks got things going right away, hitting a solo homerun off of Brandon Neely in the first inning to go up 1-0.
Tanner Garrison was able to get the Gators offense going with a double to left field in the third inning. Michael Robertson followed up with a double of his own to score Garrison and tie the game, 1-1.
In the fifth, South Carolina had two more solo homeruns to take a 3-1 lead.
Neely’s day ended in the seventh inning after the Gamecocks added another run to go up 4-1. He threw 105 pitches in 6.1 innings, striking out seven batters.
South Carolina added another run in the seventh. They had a 5-1 lead. Fisher ended the inning striking out the batter with the bases loaded.
Garrison continued a strong offensive day, getting his third hit of the day in the bottom of the seventh. Caglianone hit his 18th homerun of the season to put the Gators down two, 5-3.
Cade Fisher went one, two, three in the eighth to keep the Gators in the game. He threw 38 pitches in 1.2 innings, striking out two batters.
Purnell came to the mound in the ninth, but was pulled for Slater after giving up a hit to the first batter. The Gamecocks added on five more in the ninth, up 10-3.
The Gators couldn’t get any offense momentum for a comeback in the ninth. They lose 10-3 and fall to 17-16 overall and 6-7 in conference play.
Game two will be at 4 p.m. Saturday.
ChompTalk.com 
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