Back in SEC race

Gamecocks jump to third in jumbled East

The Post and Courier

James Darnell

No. 17 South Carolina 9, Florida 6

COLUMBIA — This isn't exactly shocking news, but when Justin Smoak, James Darnell and Phil Disher homer in the same game, South Carolina's baseball team wins.

Sure enough, each member of the lineup's heart hit timely two-run homers and the No. 17 Gamecocks escaped Sunday with a 9-6 series-clinching victory against Florida at Sarge Frye Field.

Disher, the senior catcher, went 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles to help USC rebound from Friday night's loss to take the set a week after being swept at LSU.

And, just like that, South Carolina jumps to third in the jumbled SEC East. The Gamecocks (33-15, 13-11) are two games behind Vanderbilt for second.

"You kidding? It's big-time," said USC left fielder Drew Crisp, who had the go-ahead RBI with a fifth-inning sacrifice fly. "It's excellent. It's a great feeling. We're back in it. We've just got to keep doing it."

Given their track records, you've got to feel like the middle of the order's going to keep producing.

It's the third time this season that Smoak, Darnell and Disher have hit home runs in the same game.

It happened in earlier non-conference games against Davidson and Clemson. Predictably, the Gamecocks are 3-0 in those games.

"You're supposed to win when the guys in the middle hit home runs," South Carolina coach Ray Tanner said.

On Sunday, each of the sluggers' homers was much needed in its own way.

Disher's, a laser over the left-center-field wall in the first, helped USC build an early 3-0 lead.

After Florida raced ahead 5-3, Smoak's team-leading 19th homer quickly tied the game. After a Disher double, Crisp drove him in with the sac fly. Designated

hitter DeAngelo Mack followed with an RBI single.

With the Gators still hanging around, down a run in the sixth, Darnell provided crucial insurance in the sixth.

Memories of the four-game losing streak seemed distant.

"We were in the valley a little bit," Tanner said. "They didn't seem to waver. You wonder how your guys are going to respond in this game; you check with them to see how they are feeling. But this group is tough. They stayed tough."

A testament to that: In Sunday rubber games this season, South Carolina is now 3-1.

"We feel like if we can get one win (Friday or Saturday)," Crisp said, "we've got enough pitching to win on Sunday."

The Gamecocks did have the pitching against the Gators (28-18, 13-11), but it wasn't the likeliest of arms, starter Blake Cooper.

Cooper's control was off, as evidenced by his five walks in 3 2/3 innings, but USC's No. 4 starter was ready to step in to go the rest of the way. Well, close.

Midweek starter Nick Godwin entered in the fourth to get out of Cooper's bases-loaded jam with a ground ball. The senior remained in the game for five innings, recording every out but the last.

Parker Bangs got that one by striking out UF right fielder Riley Cooper, who represented the tying run.

USC's pitching staff also registered a bit of an odd statistic. Blake Cooper and Godwin combined to pick off three Florida baserunners. Each pitcher picked off Riley Cooper.

In Florida's two-run fifth, the Gators ran themselves out of a far bigger inning with consecutive Godwin pickoffs and Disher throwing out Clayton Pisani as he attempted to steal second.

Reach Travis Haney at thaney@postandcourier.com and check out the new South Carolina blog at www.charleston.net/blogs/gamecocks.