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Omaha, Neb- Erik Payne’s three-run triple highlighted a five-run fifth inning, as the South Carolina Gamecocks defeated the Florida Gators, 7-3, in the first round of the College World Series Saturday night. The Gamecocks extended their NCAA record winning streak in the postseason to 22 straight games, including 12 in a row at the College World Series.

The Gators got on the scoreboard first with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. Justin Shafer and Vickash Ramjit stroked back-to-back singles to open the inning. Preston Tucker lined a double over Tanner English’s head in left field, plating both runners for an early 2-0 Gator advantage.

Evan Marzilli led off the decisive fifth with a double to the right-centerfield gap, his second two-bagger of the game. Christian Walker followed with his second hit of the night, a single to left, putting runners at the corners. Adam Matthews walked to load the bases with no outs, setting the stage for Payne’s bases-clearing triple to the right-centerfield wall. LB Dantzler followed with an RBI double to deep center, ending Gator starter Brian Johnson’s night on the mound. Tanner English bunted Dantzler to third and Vergason capped the uprising with an RBI single to center. Johnson (8-5) worked four-plus innings, allowing eight hits and five runs, all earned, with three walks and five strikeouts.

Florida answered with a single run in the bottom of the fifth. Tobias singled to left and Fontana was hit by a pitch to put a pair of runners on base with no outs. Both runners moved up 90 feet on a ground out and Tobias scored on a sacrifice fly by Mike Zunino, the third player taken in the recent MLB Draft, to cut the Carolina lead to 5-3.

The Gamecocks added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth, aided by some wildness from the Gator pitching staff and less than stellar fielding. Walker led off with walk, moved to second on Matthews’ sacrifice bunt, advanced to third on a wild pitch from Keenan Kish and scored on a wild pitch from Steven Rodriguez. Both Kish’s and Rodriguez’s wild pitches came with Payne at the plate. With two outs, Dantzler reached base safely when Rodriguez was unable to cleanly handle a slow roller. He moved to second on English’s second single of the night and scored when Ramjit threw wildly to the pitcher covering first on Vergason’s sharp grounder.

Gamecock starter Michael Roth (8-1) worked 6.1 innings, allowing seven hits and three runs, all earned, with three walks and three strikeouts. He threw 98 pitches, 54 for strikes. Roth became the fourth pitcher to win a game in three different College World Series.

Carolina closer Matt Price worked the final two frames, retiring six of the eight batters he faced, including three by strikeout. He was helped by Marzilli’s spectacular diving catch on a sinking liner by Pigott leading off the bottom of the eighth. Price logged his 42nd career save, moving him into sole possession of eighth place on the NCAA’s all-time list, and breaking the SEC record.

The Gamecocks (46-17) will return to action Monday night at 9 p.m. ET in a winner’s bracket game against Arkansas (45-20).

(USC Sports Information contributed to this report.)