Former Hendricken standout Evan Marzilli and the University of South Carolina have barely skipped a beat in their first three games in this year’s College World Series, picking up a win over Texas A&M and two over Virginia, putting the Gamecocks into the best-of-three national championship series against Florida.

Game one of the series was scheduled for Monday night, and game two will be at 8 p.m. on Tuesday. It will be broadcast on ESPN.

Marzilli has gone 3-for-13 in the three games out of the leadoff spot for the defending national champions, driving in one run and walking twice.

In South Carolina’s most recent game – a 3-2, 13-inning victory over the Cavaliers – Marzilli went 1-for-5.

His best game of the World Series came in the first one, when the Gamecocks defeated Texas A&M in dramatic fashion.

Marzilli reached base three times in that game, including on a ninth-inning walk during a South Carolina rally that resulted in a 5-4 walk-off win.

In that ninth inning, A&M reliever Kyle Martin only faced one batter, and that batter almost made him pay dearly. Robert Beary led off the bottom of the ninth with a double off the right field wall, which led to the introduction of Nick Fleece, who promptly gave up a Jackie Bradley, Jr. base hit to put Beary 90 feet away.

After Fleece walked Marzilli to load the bases, Scott Wingo drove home Beary to give the Gamecocks the win.

In South Carolina’s second game, against Virginia, Marzilli went 1-for-5 with a double an RBI.

That game lacked the dramatics of the other two, as the ’Cocks cruised to a 7-1 victory that put them one win away from reaching the championship series.

Marzilli’s biggest contribution came in the fourth inning, when he doubled in Jake Williams to help South Carolina pull away. Marzilli scored later in the inning.

With the three victories, the Gamecocks broke an NCAA postseason record with their 14th consecutive victory in tournament play, dating back to last year’s College World Series.