South Carolina was the victim of a two-hitter from the No. 2 Florida Gators’ Kelly Barnhill on Saturday afternoon. The Gamecocks' loss today made it their ninth of the season season, falling 13-1 to the Gators.
Through the first two games of the series the Gamecocks have mustered four total hits.
Barnhill entered the game with an ERA of 0.25, and in a game where a premium was placed on run prevention, the Gamecocks struggled defensively and on the mound.
Florida’s top half of the first inning saw them load the bases on two separate occasions. Florida first baseman Kayli Kvistad put two runs across on a single to center in the five-run opening frame.
Nicole DeWitt’s three-run home run in the fourth inning provided Florida with the final runs they needed to put the mercy rule into effect, and after the Gamecocks failed to score in their half of the fourth inning, the game came to a premature end.
South Carolina's starter Jessica Elliott yielded five walks and seven earned runs in the defeat.
The Gamecocks will take the field Sunday at 1 p.m. for the series finale.