The No. 6 国产三级片 Gamecocks split its weekend slate against the No. 1-ranked LSU Tigers in a series shortened from three games to two due to inclement weather.
Game one
国产三级片 defeated LSU 13-5 in the series' first game at Founders Park.
The game became a battle of relief pitchers after a lightning delay, and the Tigers struggled to slow freshman infielder/outfielder Ethan Petry, who led the team with two hits, two runs and eight RBIs.
鈥淚 felt pretty nervous going into this game. It was a big game and (the) No. 1 team in the nation, but I know I've got all my teammates behind my back,鈥� Petry said.
Junior pitcher Paul Skenes got the start for LSU and conceded his first home run on the season to Petry, who connected in the bottom of the first, bringing senior infielder Braylen Wimmer home and giving the Gamecocks an early lead.
Junior pitcher Will Sanders was back in the starting rotation for 国产三级片 after taking a week off. He recorded four strikeouts and allowed just two hits and an unearned run in the second inning to make the score 2-1.
Wimmer hit a solo home run in the third inning to extend the Gamecocks' lead to 3-1, but the lengthy delay the following inning took both starting pitchers off of the mound, turning game one of the top-10 matchup into a bullpen game.
鈥淚鈥檓 disappointed that college baseball didn鈥檛 get to see the extended Will Sanders versus Paul Skenes because I think that made for really good headlines and (a) great college baseball event,鈥� 国产三级片 head coach Mark Kingston said. 鈥淏ut I think both teams did what was right. Once that delay went over an hour, I think it was the right thing to do by the kids.鈥�
Redshirt junior pitcher James Hicks replaced Sanders and inherited a runner on first, no outs and a batter at 1-1 after the hour and six minute game break.
The Gamecocks relied on Hicks for four innings to make up for the innings Sanders was unable to deliver. He allowed just two hits and two runs, both of which scored in the seventh inning.
LSU鈥檚 bullpen did not see the same success as 国产三级片鈥檚. Freshman pitcher Micah Bucknam lasted only the fifth inning, allowing a grand slam to Petry and a solo home run from senior outfielder Dylan Brewer.
鈥淎s we鈥檝e been doing all year, we鈥檝e just been showing the country that we鈥檙e a really good baseball team in all areas. We can pitch, we can hit, we have power, we have speed,鈥� Kingston said. 鈥淭he total picture of what we鈥檙e doing right now is just hard to ignore.鈥�
The Tigers鈥� relief pitching continued to struggle when junior pitcher Will Hellmers took over in the sixth frame and finished the game for his team. He loaded the bases, and Petry hit a sacrifice fly to knock in a run and extend the lead to 9-1.
In the seventh, Hellmers hit one batter with a pitch and walked the next three to force in a run. Another walk and hit-by-pitch each scored an additional run for the Gamecocks in the inning.
LSU scored its final two runs off of sophomore pitcher Eli Jones in the eighth inning, but the late surge was not nearly enough to change its fate.
Game two
The second, and ultimately final, game of the series was defined by 国产三级片's pitching mishaps late in the game, resulting in an 8-7 loss and an end to the Gamecocks' 19-game home winning streak.
Junior pitcher Jack Mahoney got the start for 国产三级片, moving up in the Gamecock rotation due to an injury to senior pitcher Noah Hall. Mahoney went four innings, allowing three runs on four hits, two walks and seven strikeouts.
Redshirt sophomore pitcher Chris Veach came on in relief of Mahoney, pitching three innings and giving up no runs, no hits and three walks.
"His changeup is an elite pitch," Kingston said. "He's been really good for a solid year, and that three innings is about (the) max that you can expect out of him."
Redshirt sophomore pitcher Cade Austin and Jones combined to allow five runs in the final two innings of the game.
The defining point of the game saw LSU take the lead on a grand slam from graduate student infielder/outfielder Gavin Dugas off of Austin in the eighth inning, allowing LSU to tie the game 7-7.
"Cade's been there for us a ton," Kingston said. "He's helped us win a ton of games. It just wasn't his day today. We have his back and we'll be very eager to go to him again the next time he gets that opportunity."
The final Tiger run was surrendered by Jones in the ninth inning, and 国产三级片 could not regain the lead from there.
It was a sudden decline for the Gamecocks, who started the game strong at the plate. In the second inning, junior first baseman Gavin Casas and Petry were hit by back-to-back pitches with the bases loaded, scoring sophomore catcher Talmadge LeCroy and sophomore outfielder Carson Hornung, respectively.
In the next at-bat, sophomore catcher Cole Messina doubled home two more runs for 国产三级片. LSU got three runs back in the fourth inning, but the Gamecocks answered in its half of the fifth frame.
With the bases loaded in the fifth, LeCroy singled, allowing Petry to score. This was followed by an RBI walk from Messina and a run-scoring double play from sophomore infielder Michael Braswell.
Behind 8-7 in the bottom of the ninth, the Gamecocks threatened to tie the game with two runners on base. However, junior outfielder Caleb Denny struck out as a pinch hitter, ending the game.
What's Next?
The Gamecocks will return to action on April 11 with a midweek game against USC Upstate at 7 p.m. at Founders Park. The game will be available to stream on SEC Network+.