HOOVER, Ala. - Stephen Barton's ninth-inning single capped a seven-run comeback and lifted Florida to a 9-8 victory over Arkansas on Wednesday in the first round of the SEC tournament.
At 8 p.m. today, the Gators face the winner of Wednesday's late game between Alabama and Mississippi.
Florida entered the eighth trailing 8-2 before Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn replaced starting pitcher Nick Schmidt, who had struck out seven. The Gators jumped on Daryl Maday, Brian McLelland and Charley Boyce for six runs on three hits, including a three-run home run by Jeff Corsaletti that cut it to 8-7.
In the ninth, the Gators put runners on first and third with one out before Barton hit a 3-and-2 pitch by Boyce into centerfield.
MISSISSIPPI ST. 9, LSU 2: Thomas Berkery went 4-for-4 with two RBIs for the Bulldogs. Mississippi State scored four runs on six singles in the first. It added four over the third, fourth and fifth innings on seven more singles. for an 8-0 lead.
SOUTH CAROLINA 12, TENNESSEE 2: Steve Pearce went 4-for-4 with a homer, two doubles and four RBIs for the Gamecocks. Pearce hit a run-scoring double in the sixth and three-run homer in the seventh.
ACC: FSU wins in 12th
JACKSONVILLE - North Carolina first baseman Matt Spencer's wild throw in the 12th allowed the winning run to score in Florida State's 3-2 victory. Today, FSU faces the winner of Wednesday's late game between Georgia Tech and Wake Forest.
FSU led 2-1 with two outs in the ninth. With the tying run on third, Tyler Chambliss struck out Spencer. But the ball got away from catcher Aaron Cheesman, and his throw to first hit Spencer.
Ryan Malone led off the 12th with a walk and went to second when Gibbs Chapman was hit by a pitch. Cheesman's bunt was fielded cleanly by Spencer, but he threw past third baseman Chad Flack.
N.C. STATE 2, MIAMI 1: Andrew Brackman allowed six hits and struck out five in seven innings for the Wolfpack. With two outs in the first, Aaron Bates and Aaron Cone walked. Brian Aragon drove in both with a double to left-center.
VIRGINIA 8, CLEMSON 1: The Cavaliers scored five in the eighth. Tom Hagan had a run-scoring double and Mike Campagna, Kyle Werman and Matt Street run-scoring singles.
C-USA: USF falls
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss got two in the sixth to break a tie and beat USF 5-3. The Bulls face Louisville at 1:30 today.
Brad Willcutt walked to lead off the sixth and went to third on Jason Lowery's single. Willcutt was thrown out at home on pinch-hitter Jody Blount's grounder to third. But Trey Cuevas' double, which fell just under centerfielder Ty Taborelli's glove, scored Lowery and sent Blount to third. Drew Carson made it 3-1 with a sacrifice fly.
Down 5-1 in the ninth, USF loaded the bases and got a two-run single by Brian Baisley. But Matt Caire struck out Matt McHargue.
TCU 4, LOUISVILLE 2: Sam Demel pitched a three-hitter and struck out nine in his first complete game for the Horned Frogs. TCU took a 3-2 lead in the seventh on Kyle Dahlberg's two-out single.
TULANE 8, UAB 6: Nathan Southard's two-run single capped a five-run fifth for the Green Wave. Down 6-3, Tulane got run-scoring singles by Greg Dini and Scott Madden, a bases-loaded walk to Matt Barket and Southard's single.
EAST CAROLINA 6, HOUSTON 5: Brian Cavanaugh's homer in the ninth won it for the Pirates.
