It wasn’t until Saturday morning that Jordan Butler found out he was starting the series finale against South Carolina.
“Right after pregame meal, Sully (Kevin O’Sullivan) went over the lineup and said there were going to be some changes and then read off that I was going to be starting at first base,” Butler said.
The sophomore utility player found himself in arguably the most high stakes position a batter could be in when he came to the plate in the bottom of the ninth.
With Florida trailing 4-3, Butler stepped into the batter's box with Austin Langworthy and Kendrick Calilao on base. Butler worked the count 2-0 on Gamecock relief pitcher Weasley Sweatt, giving him a prime hitters count.
“He went 2-0 on me, I was sitting on one pitch and he threw it right where I needed it,” Butler said.
Butler tore into the 2-0 fastball from Sweatt and drove a towering fly-ball over the right field wall that walked-off the game for Florida.
“I knew it was gone,” Butler said, “I destroyed it; I knew it was gone, 100 percent.”
Butler's home run blast was his second home run of the day, and lifted the Gators to a 6-4 victory over South Carolina and clinched the series win for Florida (24-14, 6-9 SEC).
“We just haven’t had a place to find him in the lineup,” O’Sullivan said of Butler. "With our lack of left-handers in the bullpen, kind held on to Kendrick (Calilao) at first and obviously with Wil Dalton having the year he had last year kinda hoping, you’re gonna think he’s gonna get back to where he was at some point, get hot at one point so we kind of stay with the lineup. But, and I’m not saying I expect him to do what he did today, but he is certainly capable.”
With Dalton not starting for the second straight game and Nelson Maldonado out with shoulder soreness, it opened up opportunities for Butler and Kirby McMullen, who was the designated hitter, to get a start.
Butler finished the game going 4-5, including both home runs to lead the Gators at the plate.
“It was huge, it was huge,” starting pitcher Tyler Dyson said of the win. "We come in, we were hoping to get the sweep, unfortunately, they swung the bat well yesterday and we didn’t get that win, but it was must win.
"There’s not many must wins in April, but this was a must win for us.”
South Carolina (21-15, 4-11 SEC) opened up the scoring in the game though, picking up where the team left off on Saturday night. Brady Allen made it 1-0 in the top of the second when he sent a solo home run into the left field bleachers. It was South Carolina’s fifth home run of the weekend.
The Gators tied things up though in the bottom of the frame. Jordan Butler, getting only his third start of the season, blasted his first career home run to left field off T.J. Shook to make it 1-1.
The two teams would once again trade runs in the third. Back-to-back doubles by T.J. Hopkins and Luke Berryhill allowed Hopkins to score, making it 2-1 Gamecocks.
Florida immediately answered with Jacob Young leading off the inning with a walk and then a stolen base that put him on second. With two outs in the frame, Austin Langworthy slapped a RBI single to right-center field that brought Young home and made it 2-2.
The Gamecocks chased Dyson from the game in the top of the fifth. With runners on first and second, Hopkins hit into a fielder's choice at third that brought Noah Campbell home, making it 3-2.
David Luethje relieved Dyson after he recorded the second out of the inning. Jacob Olson then singled and brought home Hopkins to extend the Gator deficit to 4-2.
Dyson finished the game throwing 89 pitches and allowed four earned runs on five hits. He also struck out two and walked one.
Luethje was lights-out the rest of the game though. The Gator freshman retired the next nine batters he faced, retiring the side in the sixth and seventh. He allowed only one hit the rest of the game, an infield single in the eighth before pitching a flawless ninth.
“He commanded the ball, kept his composure in check and he was really good,” O’Sullivan said. “If he doesn’t obviously do what he needed to do and put up some zeros for us, obviously we’re not in it at the end there to win the ball game.
“That’s a hell of a job by that kid,” Dyson said of Luethje. “Just seeing him grow and I love seeing that. He’s a great kid and I’m so happy for him."
Florida would piece together a rally in the seventh. With two outs, Young and pinch hitter Kris Armstrong drew walks to put runners on first and second. Brady McConnell then drove in Young, slapping a single to left field to make it 4-3.
“One thing I will say was there was a sense of urgency in the dugout tonight and last night, which we hadn’t seen all year, so hopefully we can carry this on,” O’Sullivan said. “There’s always one point in the season where you look back and go maybe was the turning point, who knows. I can’t answer that right now but certainly the guys feel real good in the locker room now and hopefully we can carry this in to Tuesday and next week when we go to LSU.”
The Gators finished the game with nine hits. McConnell went 2-4 on the night with an RBI, while Langworthy, Acton and Jud Fabian also had base hits.
Florida will now turn its attention to Tuesday night when the team hosts Jacksonville for the third time this season.
The Gators took both early season matchups from the Dolphins, winning 5-4 in 10 innings in Jacksonville and then 13-8 at home a few weeks later.
Stay tuned to GatorsTerritory.
