Gator Country

Florida senior Avery Barnes reacts after getting thrown out at second base during the ninth inning of the Gators' 9-7 loss to Southern Miss in the NCAA Gainesville Super Regional at McKethan Stadium on Saturday / Gator Country photo by Tim Casey

Photos by Tim Casey, Tim Darby, Casey Brooke Lawson and Jenny Pine

No. 17 Southern Miss (39-24) erupted for three runs in the fifth and four in the sixth en route to a 9-7 victory over No. 9 Florida (42-21) in the first game of the best-of-three NCAA Gainesville Super Regional on Saturday at McKethan Stadium. The Golden Eagles will have an opportunity to clinch their first-ever berth in next weekend’s NCAA College World Series with a win Sunday night at 7 p.m., live on ESPN2.

Senior reliever Jonathan Johnston (1-0) hurled 3.2 scoreless innings for USM, giving up one hit, before turning the game over sophomore Collin Cargill in the ninth with a three-run lead. Florida senior Avery Barnes (2-for-5) led off with a single into center field but was erased at second base on a close call on a fielder’s choice by junior Jonathan Pigott (2-for-4, three runs). Freshman Preston Tucker (2-for-5, RBI) singled for two runners aboard and fly-out by sophomore Josh Adams (2-for-5) left runners on the corners. Junior Matt den Dekker narrowed the gap to 9-7 with a base-knock up the middle before Cargill closed the game by having senior Brandon McArthur ground out to nail down his 12th save.

Although a trio of Florida relievers, freshman Greg Larson (1.1 IP, 1 H), junior Tony Davis (0.2 IP) and freshman Justin Poovey (1.0 IP, 1 H) held the Golden Eagles scoreless over three frames, the Gators weren’t able to complete the comeback. Each team had 12 hits, including three doubles and a homer apiece.

Photos by Tim Casey, Tim Darby, Casey Brooke Lawson and Jenny Pine

Photo Gallery: UF Baseball vs. Southern Miss, NCAA Super Regional, 6/6/09

DIRECTORY OF GATOR COUNTRY PHOTO GALLERIES

About the author

Tim Casey

Tim Casey covered the 2007 BCS Championship Game, 2007 Final Four, 2005 College World Series and 2008 Women's College World Series. He’s had photos published in Sporting News magazine, GQ magazine, SI.com, ESPN.com and nearly every newspaper in the state of Florida. Now he's home as Gator Country's Photography Editor.

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