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Florida vs. South Carolina: 2023 Gainesville Super Regional preview, prediction

By Elliot Reeder

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - MAY 12: Jac Caglianone #14 of the Florida Gators runs to first base during a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Condron Family Ballpark on May 12, 2023 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - MAY 12: Jac Caglianone #14 of the Florida Gators runs to first base during a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Condron Family Ballpark on May 12, 2023 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images) /
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2023 Gainesville Super Regional
SEC Baseball (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) /

South Carolina

The #15 national seed South Carolina Gamecocks (42-19 overall) cruised through the Columbia Regional. In the opening game, South Carolina blew out Central Connecticut State by a score of 19-1. Then in UofSC’s tightest test of the regional, they knocked off 3-seed NC State 6-3 in the 1-0 game. Finally, in the regional final South Carolina pulled away from 2-seed Campbell 16-7 to win the regional in the minimum number of games.

It’s almost been a tale of two seasons this year for South Carolina. At one point, the Gamecocks were 28-3 to start the season and were unbeaten at home through the first near two months of the season. However, South Carolina went just 10-14 through the rest of the regular season. South Carolina is 10-10 on the road this season. The Gamecocks went 16-13 in SEC play.

At the plate, South Carolina is led by Freshman phenom Ethan Petry who put up a .374/.470/.738 slash line while hitting 23 homers. He also drove in 75 RBI and scored 55 runs. South Carolina has five hitters hitting .300 or better, with Petry being joined by Cole Messina (.313), Braylen Wimmer (.302), Talmadge LeCroy (.302), and Will McGillis (.300). Messina leads the team in doubles with 18, Wimmer is the most potent base stealer (13-of-14 on stolen bases on the season), and McGillis has the highest OPS on the team (1.237). As a team, South Carolina is hitting .275 and have hit 115 homers as a club (fourth most in the SEC). Petry and Messina were first team All-SEC selections.

In the Columbia Regional, Wimmer and LeCroy were arguably South Carolina’s best performers at the plate. Wimmer went 6-for-12 with 2 HR, 1 2B, 4 RBI, and 7 runs scored. LeCroy went 6-for-11 with 2 2B, 6 RBI, and 6 runs scored.

In terms of South Carolina’s rotation heading into Supers, there are some questions. Jack Mahoney (7-3, 4.05 ERA, 80:25 K/BB, 80 IP) seems to be the lone locked-in starter. Matthew Becker (4-3, 4.83 ERA, 71:26 K/BB, 54 IP), Will Sanders (4-3, 5.37 ERA, 74:25 K/BB, 60 1/3 IP), James Hicks (8-1, 3.32 ERA, 54:14 K/BB, 62 1/3 IP), and Eli Jones (4-5, 4.10 ERA, 61:16 K/BB, 52 2/3 IP) are all options to make the other starts (with the rest set to be key pieces out of the pen). Eli Jerzembeck (2.84 ERA across 31 2/3 IP), Nick Proctor (3.96 ERA across 25 IP), Cade Austin (4.55 ERA across 29 2/3 IP), Austin Williamson (3.05 ERA across 20 2/3 IP), and Chris Veach (3.47 ERA across 23 1/3 IP) are the Gamecocks top true relievers. South Carolina’s team ERA is 4.17, which puts them tied for third amongst all SEC teams.

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