An 11-hit performance and the first career complete game pitched by junior Brian Johnson led the Florida Gators to a 7-2 elimination victory over South Carolina on Friday night, pitting the No. 2-seed Gators against Vanderbilt on Saturday in the semifinal round of the SEC baseball tournament.
Junior Mike Zunino went 1-for-3 at the plate while driving in three runs, which was highlighted by a two-run blast in the third inning. Nolan Fontana, who went 2-for-3, scored three runs out of the leadoff spot and freshman Casey Turgeon (2-for-4) hit a two-run single during a three-run fifth inning.
Florida and Vanderbilt will play right after Kentucky and Mississippi State go head-to-head. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Karsten Whiston (3-0, 3.07 ERA) will take the mound for the Gators, while lefty Kevin Ziomek (5-6, 4.79 ERA) will be the starting pitcher for the Commodores.
The winners of the Saturday's game will face each other on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET for the SEC tournament championship. The title game will broadcast on ESPN2.
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