OMAHA, Neb. -- One bad inning cost the Gators dearly on Saturday night in a 6-3 loss to South Carolina in the College World Series.
In a rematch of last year's CWS Championship Series, Florida led 2-0 on Preston Tucker's two-run double in the third inning when the Gamecocks stepped to the plate against Gators starter Brian Johnson in the fifth inning.
Johnson had flirted with trouble in the first four innings but was able to escape unscathed each time. The Gamecocks finally made him pay with five runs in the fifth.
Five consecutive Gamecocks reached to lead off the fifth and the runs started to cross the plate on designated hitter Erik Payne's three-run triple off Johnson, who stayed in the game following a visit to the mound by head coach Kevin O'Sullivan.
Johnson stayed in to face one more batter after Payne's triple and allowed an RBI double to LB Dantzler to make it 4-2. South Carolina capped the five-run outburst with Dantzler scoring on an RBI single by Chase Vergason.
Meanwhile, the Gators scratched a run off Gamecocks starter Michael Roth on Mike Zunino's sacrifice fly in the fifth, but that was as close as the Gators could get.
The Gamecocks added two insurance runs in the ninth.
The loss sends Florida to the loser's bracket where the Gators will face Kent State on Monday afternoon at 5. South Carolina advanced to face Arkansas on Monday night in the winner's bracket.
The two-time defending national champion Gamecocks won their 22nd consecutive NCAA Tournament game and 12th in a row in the CWS, the last three over the Gators.
