Evans Powers Florida Baseball To Take Series Opener

It’s the top of the fifth, bases loaded and stepping to the plate is senior outfielder Ty Evans. Evan was looking to replicate his late-game heroics from last Sunday’s win against Arkansas with another home run on Friday against South Carolina. Ahead in the count 1-0, Evans got a hanging off-speed pitch and blasted a no-doubt grand slam to give the Gators their first lead.

Evans’ grand slam ended up being the difference, as Florida beat South Carolina 9-5 to secure Game 1 of the series at Founders Park in Columbia.

It is Florida’s first time beating the Gamecocks (26-21, 5-17 SEC) on the road since they took two of three in 2018.

South Carolina set the tone early on in this one. Especially after the three-plus hour weather delay that forced a 10:15 p.m. start. The Gamecocks came out of the gate strong by jumping to a 3-0 lead after one inning. They took advantage of starting pitcher Liam Peterson not returning following the resume of play.

The Gators (31-16, 9-13) found a way to claw their way back into the game and ultimately win it. It was a similar approach to how they were able to beat Arkansas in Game 3 of that series when they trailed 5-1 early on. Just keep chipping away until your opponent makes enough mistakes for you to capitalize, and that is what they did.

Florida got on the board in the top of the third following a two-out RBI double from junior catcher Luke Heyman to make it 3-1.  Sophomore outfielder Hayden Yost then blasted a two-run home run to cut the lead to 4-3 in the fourth inning. Yost was down 0-2 in the count before hitting his second home run the season.

The Gators’ big inning came in the fifth when Heyman turned around a 3-2 fastball and sent it over the left-field wall to tie the game at 4-4. Heyman continues to be one of Florida’s best hitters in conference play, as he finished the night 2-for-4 with a home run (11th), a double and two RBIs.

The inning only got worse for the Gamecocks because later on, Florida loaded the bases after two walks and an error in the outfield, which helped set up Evans to hit the grand slam that gave Florida an 8-4 lead.

GRAND SALAMI GATORS 🐊

Ty Evans BLASTS one over the center field wall and the Gators are FEELING IT in Cola 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/uBUJagxijP

— SEC Unfiltered (@SECUnfiltered) May 3, 2025

South Carolina was playing well enough to make a run. In the bottom half of the inning, junior infielder Jase Woita made it an 8-5 game. Gamecocks threatened later in the inning with runners on first and second with one out, but reliever Billy Barlow set down the first two hitters he saw to retire the side.

Barlow worked a clean sixth before giving up a single to lead off the seventh, which was enough for coach Kevin O’Sullivan to head back to the bullpen for closer Jake Clemente, who gave up back-to-back singles to load the bases with nobody out. but dug in and struck out the next three batters to end the inning.

Bases loaded? No problem.

JC strikes out three straight 😤#GoGators // SEC Network+ pic.twitter.com/7BFLoGlkTV

— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) May 3, 2025

Florida added one more in the eighth on a sacrifice fly from senior Bobby Boser to extend the Gators lead to 9-5.

Controversy erupted in the bottom of the eighth when junior outfielder Nathan Hall hit a line drive into left field that umpires initially ruled a catch.

Senior outfielder Blake Jackson, was on second base, saw the ball hit the ground before the left fielder secured it and raced home to score. After a review overturned the call to a single, officials removed the run and sent Jackson back to third base.

With runners now on the corners, Clemente worked out of another jam to keep the Gator’s four-run lead intact. Clemente finished things off in the ninth to secure the win, Florida’s 14th comeback victory (seventh in the last 13 games).

South Carolina’s inability to not come up with the big hit was the other difference maker in this one. The Gamecocks went 6-for-18 with runners in scoring position and failed to get a hit in three bases-loaded opportunities.

Clemente (six saves) worked three shutout innings with six strikeouts, four hits and one walk allowed. He now has a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 25-4 in his last seven appearances and in that same span has only allowed one run.

Up Next

Game 2 of the series has been moved up to 1 p.m. Saturday due to expected inclement weather in the area. For now, Florida will send right-hander Aidan King (4-2, 3.47 ERA) to the mound, while lefty Jake McCoy (4-3, 6.38) is expected to go for South Carolina. Sunday’s game still has a 1:30 p.m. start.

Both games will air on SEC Network+ and ESPN 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF + WJXL 1010AM.