The Gators came out on the wrong end of the longest game in program history. South Carolina scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the 14th inning, five hours and 31 minutes after the first pitch, to take the opening game of the series 9-8.

A sloppy game filled with walks turned into a sit on the edge of your seat contest. '

With two outs in the top of the 14th, Nathan Hickey took a 2-0 fastball deep to center field and over the wall to give Florida the lead. Florida went back out to try to close the game with Ben Specht, who hadn't pitched since February 23rd. Specht had entered the game in the 12th and retired the first eight batters he faced. He had an 0-2 count to Andrew Eyster, but the outfielder from Ocala gave the next offering a ride, into the bullpen to tie the game. Three pitches, a single and a double into the gap later the game was done and the Gamecocks stormed the field.

The Florida Gators didn't get a typical Tommy Mace start on Friday night in Columbia. Mace came out of the game with a 2-0 lead and got the job done in the first inning but couldn't miss a bat in the second. South Carolina's first four batters of the inning all pounded out hits and before the dust settled the Gamecocks had scored four runs on six hits.

The Gators scored to bring it within one in third and even took the lead in the fifth inning on a Sterlin Thompson single through the right side.

Mace was replaced in the fifth inning, marking the shortest outing of his season. Graduate transfer Trey Van Der Weide, who retired the first six batters he faced but the seventh proved a challenge. Back to back doubles chased Van Der Weide, with O'Sullivan turning to Franco Alemán. The junior college transfer retired the first two batters he faced but an Eyster single tied the game.

The teams went tied 7-7 for five more innings before the theatrics and walk-off win.

Florida and South Carolina will be back on the field Saturday at 4:00 pm, sending Jack Leftwich to the mound.