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Kevin O'Sullivan: Gamecocks have "chance to be successful" in postseason

Kevin O'Sullivan argues with the umpires in Saturday's game.
Kevin O'Sullivan argues with the umpires in Saturday's game.
Chris Gillespie/GamecockCentral.com

Only 21-and-a-half innings were played at Founders Park this weekend, but Kevin O’Sullivan is leaving impressed with what he saw from the Gamecocks.

“They played really good defense all weekend long with their pitching,” Florida’s head coach said. “If you can pitch and play defense, then you have a chance. I do like their starting pitching. I think it gives them a chance to be successful the rest of this year and into the postseason.”

O’Sullivan’s Gators came into the weekend ranked No. 1 by many of the major college baseball polls and leave Columbia after splitting two games against South Carolina. Sunday’s game does not count due to a rainout.

Clarke Schmidt went up against the Gators Friday night and Braden Webb pitched a gem Saturday before Adam Hill came out and didn’t allow a hit against the Gators through four innings. Hill’s statistics did not register because of the rain-shortened game.

Gamecock starters this weekend pitched 13.2 innings officially and allowed four runs on 10 hits. They also struck out 13 batters.

O’Sullivan said he was really impressed by Schmidt, who was in line for the win Friday before two Gator home runs in the ninth negated that.

“Schmidt’s really good,” O’Sullivan said. “He’s one of the better Friday night guys in our league, which means he’s probably one of the better Friday night guys in the country. Yesterday’s start was very good and today’s start by their freshman was pretty good.”

Offensively, the Gamecocks blasted three home runs in the series behind Chris Cullen, Alex Destino and Gene Cone. They got to both of Florida’s starting pitchers—Logan Shore and A.J. Puk—both of whom are projected to be first round picks.

“You have a lineup like they do with some left-handed hitters in their lineup—especially at the top—and it’s hard to navigate through,” O’Sullivan said.

The Gamecocks and Gators still have a game separating them in SEC play with the Gamecocks holding the edge. This series was highly-contested between two of the best teams in college baseball, and that’s exactly what O’Sullivan expected.

He said he also thinks, with the stable of young talent South Carolina has, this series will be just as contested in the near future.

“I would expect that in two years when we come back up and next year the same thing when they come down to Gainesville. They get a lot of their players back; they get a lot of their pitchers back. So I would expect them to be very competitive next year, too.”

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