Gamecocks knocked out of SEC tournament
HOOVER, Ala. (AP) - Brian Johnson pitched a five-hitter and Mike Zunino hit a two-run homer to lead Florida to a 7-2 win over South Carolina Friday night, eliminating the two-time defending national champions from the Southeastern Conference tournament.
The Gators (42-17) face Vanderbilt on Saturday for a shot at the championship. The Gamecocks (40-17) went 1-2 at Regions Park.
Johnson (7-4) pitched his first career complete game.
He struck out five, didn't walk anybody and coasted through on 89 pitches. He also had an RBI on a bases loaded walk in the fifth.
Casey Turgeon added a two-run single in the three-run fifth to make it 7-0.
Zunino had an RBI groundout in the first and then delivered his league-leading 16th home run with a shot over the left-field fence in the third.
The Gamecocks had beaten Florida twice in the College World Series to claim the national title last season.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.