COLUMBIA, S.C. – Florida delivered a pair of dominant Sunday victories, defeating South Carolina by scores of 22-3 and 8-0 to polish off a resounding series sweep at Founders Park.
 
By sweeping South Carolina (26-23, 5-19 SEC), the Gators (33-16, 11-13 SEC) reclaimed the all-time series lead (57-56) in the rivalry for the first time since March 26, 2021. Florida has now won 13 of its last 15 games overall and 10 of 12 in SEC play. The Gators carry a four-game winning streak into their final midweek contest of the season at home on Tuesday vs. USF.
 
Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan won his 750th-career game in the finale, rising to 750-365 (.673) across his 18 seasons at the helm of the Gators. O’Sullivan’s milestone victory also signified Florida’s first sweep of South Carolina in Columbia since 1996 and UF’s first road sweep of any team since 2022.
 
Outscoring the Gamecocks by a 30-3 margin on Sunday alone, Florida pounded out 27 hits in 16 innings. Luke Heyman (2-for-5, 0-for-4) cranked two homers in the first game while Hayden Yost (3-for-5, 1-for-2) produced a four-hit day and homered in the finale. Ty Evans (2-for-4, 1-for-4) also left the yard in game three en route to four RBI and runs apiece on the day.
 
Game 2 | Florida 22, South Carolina 3
 
The Gators never trailed in game two, as they put one run on the Gamecocks in the opening frame to take a 1-0 lead. After working a leadoff walk, Bobby Boser came home on an RBI double off the left-field wall from Blake Cyr.
 
Florida starting hurler Aidan King navigated around a pair of baserunners to blank South Carolina in the home half of the first. The freshman right-hander registered his first two strikeouts in the second en route to another zero.
 
King was on his way to a third-straight scoreless frame in the third before play was halted with two outs and a runner on second due to a nearby lightning strike. Game two was eventually suspended and would not resume until Sunday afternoon at 1:32 p.m. with UF ace Liam Peterson on the mound after throwing just five pitches in the series opener.
 
Peterson induced a foul-out to catcher of Jase Woita for the last out of the third inning. Cyr then led off the top of the fourth with a single to left to start what would become a three-run rally for Florida. Thanks to an Evans walk and perfect sacrifice bunt from Brody Donay, Yost dug in with two Gators in scoring position and promptly capitalized with a two-run single to left-center. Boser pushed the advantage to 4-0 with an RBI double to right-center that plated Yost.
 
Despite surrendering a pair of two-out walks in bottom-four, Peterson escaped the frame cleanly to hold the four-run lead. Florida used the opportunity to push further in front at 5-0, as Heyman uncorked a 408-foot solo tank to left-center field.
 
The Gamecocks created more traffic on the bases in the home half of the fifth, this time pushing a run across to cut the UF lead to 5-1. Jordan Carrion reached via a fielder’s choice on a fielding error at shortstop, which allowed Henry Kaczmar to scamper home safely with two outs. Peterson moved past the unearned run and retired the next better via a fielder’s choice to second base.
 
In the top of the sixth, Yost led off with another single to improve to 3-for-3 on the day. The Gators were unfortunately unable to cash in with two runners in scoring position in the inning, and South Carolina drew closer at 5-2 in the bottom half on a solo homer to left-center by KJ Scobey.
 
Making it a two-homer game, Heyman got the run right back for the Gators in the seventh with a solo blast into the left-field bleachers to make it 6-2. In bottom-seven, Nathan Hall led off with a single to left to prompt Peterson’s exit in favor of righty Luke McNeillie. The Gamecocks were able to push one run across on a Carrion RBI single, but closer Jake Clemente entered and retired three in a row to eliminate the threat.
 
Leading by three runs through seven, Florida erupted for a five-spot in the eighth to take an eight-run advantage at 11-3. It all happened with two outs, beginning with an RBI single to center from Brendan Lawson to score Ashton Wilson. Evans then delivered a three-run double down the left-field line and Donay plated him with a single back up the middle for the frame’s fifth and final strike.
 
Clemente rolled through the eighth on the mound, striking out two more Gamecocks on his way to a scoreless inning.
 
In the ninth, Florida exploded for 11 runs to put the game on ice – it’s most in an inning this year. Justin Nadeau and Wilson drew walks to lead off, giving Boser the opportunity to add a run on an RBI single through the right side. Consecutive walks of Lawson, Heyman and Cyr followed, forcing home Nadeau and Boser for Florida’s 13th and 14th tallies. Although a pair of Gators strikeouts gave South Carolina two outs, another walk to Yost with the bags juiced brought home Lawson. Wilson added a two-run single to center while the frame’s fourth-bases loaded walk was issued to Boser to score Yost. Lawson then brought the score to its final tally of 22-3 with a grand slam to left field – giving him five RBI in the inning.
 
Freshman righty Carson Montsdeoca pitched a scoreless ninth to secure the win and clinch the series for the Orange & Blue. Montsdeoca surrendered one hit and struck out one.
 
Peterson (8-2) logged the victory with 3 1/3 innings of relief. The sophomore right-hander concluded his outing with three runs allowed (two earned) on three hits and four walks while striking out two.
 
Gamecocks starter Jake McCoy (4-4) received the loss after giving up one earned run on two hits and one walk in three innings on Saturday. The southpaw fanned two batters.
 
King did not factor into the decision as he only lasted 2 2/3 innings to due the suspended nature of game two. The rookie allowed three hits and one walk while striking out two.
 
Game 3 | Florida 8, South Carolina 0
 
Making his first appearance since March 1, Gators starter Pierce Coppola quickly retired the first two batters in his return to the mound before issuing a pair of walks. He bounced back to register a strikeout for the third out to complete one scoreless inning.
 
Leading off the top of the second, Evans homered to right on the first pitch he saw to provide the Gators with a 1-0 lead. Florida then turned to freshman Jackson Barberi on the mound in the second, who churned out a zero highlighted by a pair of strikeouts to keep the Gamecocks in check.
 
Barberi worked around a two-out double to produce another scoreless frame in the third and the UF offense followed suit in top-four. Cyr led off with a single and Evans reached on a fielding error at shortstop. With runners on second and third, Yost squeeze bunted Cyr home and Evans advanced safely to third. Wilson then ambushed the first pitch for an RBI single up the middle, giving the Gators a 3-0 lead.
 
Barberi held the three-run edge by facing the minimum in the fourth, using a 5-4-3 double play to end the frame. The rookie notched his fourth strikeout to open the home half of the fifth, but was lifted in favor of right-handed reliever Christian Rodriguez following a one-out double by Gavin Braland. Rodriguez wasted no time getting the remaining two outs, inducing a fly out to left and foul out to third base to maintain the shutout.
 
In the top of the sixth, Donay lined a single to center and came all the way home on a monster home run to right-center off the bat of Yost. Wilson then singled, stole second and scored on an RBI knock to center field by Lawson to move the tally to 6-0 in favor of Florida.
 
After a one-two-three inning from Rodriguez in bottom-six, Donay made it 7-0 Gators with a solo homer to right field in the seventh. Wilson brought the score to its final mark of 8-0 two batters later, driving in Yost with an RBI double to left field.
 
Rodriguez put the finishing touches on the shutout in the bottom of the ninth, rolling up a 6-4-3 double play to cement the series sweep. The redshirt freshman tossed 2 2/3 scoreless frames of relief to earn his first-career save.
 
Barberi (2-1) picked up the victory, firing 3 1/3 shutout innings on three hits while striking out four.
 
South Carolina starting pitcher Ashton Crowther dropped to 2-1 after forfeiting three runs (one earned) on five hits and four strikeouts over four innings.
 
Coppola pitched one scoreless inning in his return to the bump, thus did not factor into the decision. The left-hander walked two and fanned two.
 
SUNDAY & SERIES NOTABLES

• Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan won his 750th career game, improving to 750-365 (.673) across 18 seasons.
• By sweeping South Carolina, the Gators reclaimed the lead in the all-time series (57-56) for the first time since March 26, 2021.

  • Florida posted its first road SEC sweep since May 6-8, 2022 at Mississippi State.
  • The Gators swept South Carolina in Columbia for the first time in 29 years – since May 3-5, 1996.

• Florida has won 13 of its last 15 games overall and 10 of 12 in SEC play.
• The Gators outscored the Gamecocks, 30-3, on Sunday, and 39-8 over the course of the series.

  • Florida outscored South Carolina, 39-5, from the second inning of game one onward.

• Florida is now 57-56 all-time against South Carolina including 21-31 in Columbia.

  • The Gators are 35-24 overall and 13-13 in the series under Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan.

• Every player that started at least two games for UF this weekend scored at least three runs and had at least two hits.
• Eight of nine UF starters recorded at least three hits in the series.
• Yost and Evans entered the weekend with one homer apiece on the season, but both Gators homered twice in the series to combine for 16 RBI and 11 runs scored.
• Sunday’s official attendances marks were 7,752 and 7,151, respectively.

GAME 2 NOTABLES

• Florida led, 6-3, entering the eighth inning and won, 22-3.
• The Gators scored a season-high 22 runs in SEC play and tied their season high in runs overall.
• Florida drew a season-high 13 walks.
• The Gators’ 11 runs in the ninth inning marked the program’s most since scoring 12 in the fourth frame at Georgia on May 18, 2024.
• Making his ninth-career start, King’s outing was cut short due to game two being suspending on Saturday until Sunday afternoon.

  • He pitched 2 2/3 shutout innings on three hits, one walk and two strikeouts.

• Peterson is now tied for second in the SEC with eight victories.
• Boser swiped his 14th bag of the campaign in the first inning, matching his season total in home runs (14).
• Wilson stole three bases to reach nine steals in just his 27th game played (18 starts).
• Yost swiped his 13th base of the season.
• Heyman drilled a 408-foot, opposite-field shot for his 12th home run of the season in the fifth, then clobbered his 13th long ball for No. 13 in the seventh inning.

  • Heyman now has 10 home runs in SEC play this season.
  • The performance marked Heyman’s third multi-homer effort of the season and the sixth of his career.

• The Gators recorded a season-high two sacrifice bunts (Donay, Nadeau).
• Yost finished 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored.
• Lawson hit a grand slam in the ninth for his ninth homer of the season, as he drove in five RBI in the ninth inning.
• Clemente threw two shutout, no-hit relief frames in the seventh and eighth.

  • He struck out four and walked one.

• Game two was suspended on Saturday afternoon due to inclement weather and did not resume until 1:32 p.m. on Sunday.

GAME 3 NOTABLES

• The Gators threw their fifth combined shutout of the season.
• Coppola returned from a 64-day absence to start the series finale, having last pitched on March 1 vs. Miami.

  • Coppola threw a scoreless first inning with two walks and two strikeouts.

• Evans connected for his third homer of the season – all in the last four games – to give Florida a 1-0 lead in the second inning.
• Wilson stole his 10th and 11th bags of the season in his 28th game (19th start).
• Boser swiped his team-high 15th bag.
• Yost connected for his third homer of the season and second of the series via a two-run shot in the sixth.
• Donay hit his 13th homer of the season in the seventh.
• Barberi logged his second victory behind 3 1/3 scoreless relief frames.
• Rodriguez nailed down his first-career save with 2 2/3 shutout, one-hit innings.

FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O’SULLIVAN
On the wins and series sweep…
“Yeah, it’s been kind of a weird weekend obviously, with the rain delays and lightning delays and all that type of thing. I thought that Liam did what he needed to do, he wasn’t as sharp as he’d like to be today, but he did what he needed to do. Obviously, Jake came in out of the pen. Really didn’t want to use him in the first game ’cause we had a lead there, but with the tying run at the plate in the seventh, we really weren’t left with any choice. And then obviously the big ninth inning where we scored 11 runs. Yeah, and it got us off to a really good start in the first game, for sure.”
 
On setting the tone early…
“Like I said, the big innings, usually the winning team scores more runs in one inning then the losing team does throughout all nine. And we had three in the fourth, five in the eighth and 11 runs in the ninth.”
 
On the resurgence of Evans…
“No doubt, we’re not going to get to where we want to without him in the lineup. So, I’m really, really pleased for him. You know the other guy that probably gets overlooked sometimes is Hayden Yost. He swung the bat extremely well today, you know, his home run there really opened up that second game.”

UP NEXT

The Gators return home to host USF at Condron Family Ballpark on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+.