College World Series Final Starts with Another Gamecocks Comeback

The College World Series could end Tuesday with South Carolina taking another championship. Like in last year's bracket, the Gamecocks are poised to stand alone, Monday's score showing their resolve yet again. With a 2-1 win over Florida to start the finals in 11 innings, it seems that very little can knock South Carolina from its throne.

Nothing in this year's postseason, and last year's, suggests South Carolina is ready to get knocked off now. Since the Gamecocks have won their last 15 NCAA tournament games, and their last 10 games in Omaha, asking them to lose two straight to the Gators seems unlikely. As such, Florida needed a win in Game 1 to make South Carolina more vulnerable, and the Gators couldn't come through.

Monday's score was only 2-1 in favor of the Gamecocks, yet the Gators had their chances to break away. Florida had the bases loaded with no one out in the bottom of the ninth, but couldn't deliver. Then, in the top of the 11th, Christian Walker stole second for the Gamecocks, but two throwing errors allowed him to steal third and home on the same play.

This game was a virtual rerun of the Gamecocks' semifinal win over the Virginia Cavaliers, only it ended two innings early. Virginia blew several bases loaded chances late, then lost with two errors in the final inning. But the Cavaliers were eliminated after that loss, whereas the Gators are still alive, albeit barely.

Florida has to win twice in a row over South Carolina to claim its first College World Series championship. But if no one has been able to beat the Gamecocks once in their last 15 postseason games, can anyone do it on two straight nights?

It isn't like South Carolina has been invincible: The team could have easily lost its last two games. But although the scores have been close, they have always favored the Gamecocks, as they always get a break or a big hit at the right time. Some teams just have that aura around them; they know that everything will go right in the end if they hang around long enough.

If things go that way Tuesday, then the year's college baseball championship will end with another Gamecocks victory. Even if South Carolina doesn't clinch the championship in Game 2, it will likely be favored in Game 3 Wednesday.

The Gators' backs are against the wall, yet South Carolina rose from the bottom of the bracket last year to win it all after losing its first game. If the 2010 Gamecocks could avoid elimination so many times, Florida could do it twice, although these are far different circumstances.

The Gators can't be demoralized for long as they try to extend the College World Series Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Sources

Miami Herald- "Florida Gators throw away Game 1 of College World Series"