Gamecocks rebound after rough first inning, take game one
LEXINGTON, KY.—It wasn’t the start South Carolina expected when the game started Friday. Walking off the field after one inning, the Gamecocks were trailing by three runs.
The Kentucky Wildcats jumped on starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt early with two singles—one on a slow grounder and one where the ball hopped over Jonah Bride’s head at third base—before a three-run home run from Riley Mahan.
“The first inning was just weird,” Schmidt said. “Stuff like that happens and they put a big swing on the ball. You have to put that behind you and go out there and compete. You have to get every out you can.”
He did, settling down and helping guide the team to a 10-5 win against the Wildcats in game one.
After the three-run home run, Schmidt would retire 10 of the next 12 batters he faced, not allowing a run again until the fifth inning.
The Gamecocks (36-9, 16-5 SEC) would chip away at the lead, scoring one run in the third inning on a sacrifice fly. But South Carolina busted the game open in the fourth inning, scoring four runs to take a 6-3 lead.
They would not relinquish the lead the remainder of the game.
In the fourth inning, LT Tolbert started the scoring with a solo home run to right field. It was the third home run of his career. But, the biggest blow happened with two outs in the inning.
Alex Destino blasted a three-run homer to straightaway-center to grab hold of the lead. The home run wouldn’t have happened, though, if Dom Thompson-Williams didn’t reach safely on a fielder’s choice the batter before.
“That’s the benefit of playing hard,” head coach Chad Holbrook said. “The game will smile on you if you do the right thing, and he did the right thing by running hard to first base and gave his team a chance, and Alex capitalized on it.”
The Gamecocks would use another four-run sixth inning to give some breathing room and would ride the win out behind Reed Scott and Josh Reagan.
The win puts the Gamecocks in good position to win the series with Braden Webb and Adam Hill rounding out the weekend rotation and Scott presumably still available for one more appearance. Tyler Johnson was not used out of the bullpen Friday.
The Gamecocks used a big offensive nice against a less-than-stellar Kentucky pitching staff to build momentum the rest of the weekend. It should help with confidence because Kentucky is throwing their ace senior Dustin Beggs (7-1, 2.79 ERA) Saturday.
“Anytime you play in the SEC—I’m going to say this the whole year regardless of who we play, regardless of the record—everyone’s good,” Destino said. “Especially when you travel to someone else’s field, they’re going to be a lot more confident. It’s good to get a Friday night win.”
South Carolina has lost three of its last four series in Lexington and will look to clinch the series tomorrow with Webb (9-1, 3.05 ERA) on the mound. The game will start at 6:30 p.m. and will be available on SEC Network+ and 1075 The Game.
But after coming back and outscoring the Wildcats, 10-2 through the last seven innings, it’s a sign of encouragement for Holbrook and the staff.
“Anytime you can win a road game on Friday night in this league it’s big and important,” he said. “Certainly we didn’t get off to a good start down three-nothing in the first. That makes it a little more satisfying when guys can keep their wits about them.”
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