Holbrook reacts to Bride's 1-game suspension following Rhode Island rout
Chad Holbrook contends the Jonah Bride he knows didn’t intentionally collide violently with the Rhode Island catcher at home plate in the bottom of the first inning, a play that led to Bride’s ejection and DC Arendas’ insertion into the lineup.
Nonetheless, per NCAA rules, Bride is suspended for one game – tonight’s regional championship showdown against UNC Wilmington. If the Gamecocks win, they will force a winner-take-all game Monday at 6 p.m.
USC is the home team for tonight's must-win game.
Bride would be eligible to play Monday as long as the Gamecocks win tonight.
“It’s more disappointing because I know who Jonah Bride is,” Holbrook said during an abbreviated session with reporters following the win over URI. “There was nothing malicious there. Jonah wouldn’t hurt a flea. He was caught in the middle. If he went in with an elbow (flying) trying to take a kid’s jaw off, I might (think differently).
“It might look like that on video, but I know that is not who Jonah Bride is. There is not a bad bone in that guy’s body. You hate it that when he gets to play in the NCAA tournament, an in-between play like that costs him an opportunity. But the rule is a rule. We have to live by it.”
USC announced shortly after 5 p.m. that RHP Tyler Johnson would be the starting pitcher for the first of possibly two games against UNCW.
After going 4-for-4 with a homer, triple, 3 RBI and 3 runs scored in USC’s 23-2 rout Sunday afternoon in an elimination game, Arendas is the obvious choice to start at third base in Bride’s place.
“DC was terrific today both offensively and defensively, so it would be tough to go a different way,” Holbrook said.
Eleven different Gamecocks had a hit in the crushing win over URI, which beat USC, 5-4, Friday night. But the Rams ran out of arms and it showed as eight pitchers combined for 22 hits allowed, 7 walks, 6 wild pitches, 2 hit batters and a balk in the lopsided loss to USC Sunday afternoon.
“We have some versatility in the infield and some athletes in the outfield,” Holbrook said. “That gives us a chance when somebody goes down. It showed up today with Jonah being out. The depth of our teams has helped us enjoy some success.”
Grabbing a 5-1 lead after three innings helped the Gamecock players relax in the dugout, Holbrook said. They fed off each other’s success sat the plate. USC had 46 at-bats in the game as the Gamecocks set program records for most runs (23) and largest margin of victory (21) in an NCAA Tournament game.
The Gamecocks scored in each of the first seven innings, highlighted by a season-high 8-run top of the fifth in which USC sent 12 batters to the plate. The outburst catapulted USC into a 14-2 lead. Alex Destino, Matt Williams and Arendas walloped homers for the Gamecocks.
“Hitting in contagious as we saw today,” Holbrook said. “Guys relaxed when we got the lead. That should give them some confidence going into tonight. We certainly had some good at-bats and moved the ball around. It was nice to see.”
