The end is here: South Carolina’s season over after super regional series loss to Florida

Michael Lananna
·4 min read

For 11 years, South Carolina baseball fans have waited to get back to Omaha — to return to the level of dominance that defined the Ray Tanner years.

The waiting will have to continue.

Just over a month ago, the 2023 Gamecocks seemed like a team of destiny, a College World Series shoo-in. Playing the very same Florida team they faced this weekend, the Gamecock swept the Gators in late April — and did so in majestic fashion — soaring up the national rankings to No. 3 and igniting their Columbia fan base.

But on Saturday evening, Florida and USC reversed roles. The Gators were the team celebrating, dogpiling in the center of Condron Ballpark to celebrate their first trip to Omaha since 2018. They bested the Gamecocks for a second straight day in the Gainesville Super Regional, defeating USC 4-0 and ending the Gamecocks’ once-promising postseason run.

In many ways, this South Carolina team was special, reaching new heights in head coach Mark Kingston’s sixth year. Riding the power of bats like freshman Ethan Petry and star catcher Cole Messina, the Gamecocks got off to their best start as a program since 1975 and sat at 34-6 after the Florida sweep before scuffling down the stretch. Even still, the team’s 42-21 record is its best under Kingston and its first 40-win season since 2016.

The Gamecocks had seemingly recaptured their early-season swagger in last weekend’s decisive Columbia Regional sweep, earning their first super regional appearance since Kingston’s first season in 2018. But the No. 2 seed Gators (50-15) proved too talented and deep to drop a second series to the Gamecocks.

In contrast to the back-and-forth nature of Friday’s Game 1, the Gamecocks could hardly muster any offense against the Gators on Saturday. Right-hander Hurston Waldrep allowed just three hits in eight innings — one of which was a shallow pop fly that could’ve been caught — and struck out 13 in a masterful performance, getting USC hitters to swing over his splitter all game long. Waldrep didn’t face much trouble, with the Gamecocks only registering two at-bats with runners in scoring position. They went hitless in both.

Starter Jack Mahoney — USC’s stopper and de facto ace — didn’t have his best stuff Saturday, coughing up an early lead in the second inning by allowing a two-out, two-run double to Colby Halter. The right-hander would exit the game after back-to-back walks and an RBI single by shortstop Josh Rivera extended the Florida lead.

Still, pitching wasn’t the issue for the Gamecocks on Saturday. Their offense ran into a buzzsaw in the form of Waldrep and couldn’t make the necessary adjustments.

With two wins, the Gamecocks would’ve returned to the College World Series for the first time since 2012 — at the time their third straight trip under Tanner after winning back-to-back national titles.

But the wait for Omaha will continue.

Gainesville Super Regional

Friday

Game 1: Florida 5, South Carolina 4

Saturday

Game 2: South Carolina vs. Florida, 3 p.m. (ESPN2)

Sunday

Game 3: South Carolina vs. Florida, if necessary (Game time and channel TBA)

NCAA Baseball Tournament schedule, scores

— Virginia vs. Duke, at Charlottesville —

  • Game 1: Duke 5, Virginia 4

  • Game 2: Virginia 14, Duke 4

  • Game 3: TBD Sunday/if necessary (TV TBD)

— Oregon vs. Oral Roberts, at Eugene —

  • Game 1: Oregon 9, Oral Roberts 8

  • Game 2: 9 p.m. Saturday (ESPNU)

  • Game 3: TBD Sunday/if necessary (TV TBD)

— TCU vs. Indiana State, at Fort Worth —

  • Game 1: TCU 4, Indiana State 1

  • Game 2: 6 p.m. Saturday (ESPNU)

  • Game 3: TBD Sunday/if necessary (TV TBD)

— Wake Forest vs. Alabama, at Winston-Salem —

  • Game 1: Wake Forest 5, Alabama 4

  • Game 2: TBD Sunday (TV TBD)

  • Game 3: TBD Monday/if necessary (TV TBD)

— Stanford vs. Texas, at Stanford —

  • Game 1: 6 p.m. Saturday (ESPN2)

  • Game 2: TBD Sunday (TV TBD)

  • Game 3: TBD Monday/if necessary (TV TBD)

— LSU vs. Kentucky, at Baton Rouge —

  • Game 1: 3 p.m. Saturday (ESPN)

  • Game 2: TBD Sunday (TV TBD)

  • Game 3: TBD Monday/if necessary (TV TBD)

— Southern Miss vs. Tennessee, at Hattiesburg —

  • Game 1: 3 p.m. Saturday (ESPNU)

  • Game 2: TBD Sunday (TV TBD)

  • Game 3: TBD Monday/if necessary (TV TBD)