Look back, look ahead: Clutch pitching carries Gamecocks

The top of the ninth inning of Sunday’s exciting 4-3 victory for South Carolina (28-5 overall) over Tennessee highlighted one of the dominant themes of the weekend – the keen ability of Gamecock pitchers to wiggle out of jams when the Vols got runners on base.

Trailing by a run, Tennessee quickly loaded the bases in the ninth Sunday with three consecutive singles, including two bunts. But Gamecock closer Josh Reagan slammed the door with a force-out at home and two strikeouts to preserve the victory.

Most impressive part? Reagan got Tennessee’s best hitters out.

“We’re all in awe right now. He (Reagan) got out of a bases loaded jam with no outs,” Alex Destino said. “You rarely see that. The hitters he did it against will largely go unnoticed. The middle of their lineup is the best we’ve faced all year. It was extremely impressive.”

Tennessee left the bases loaded three times in the contest with 11 LOB overall. Friday night, the Vols stranded a staggering 16 runners, including two or more LOB in seven of the nine innings.

Following the sweep, USC coach Holbrook applauded his pitchers and their Houdini-like escape jobs throughout the weekend.

“You have to throw your best pitches and compete and bow your neck when the game is on the line and the opponent is threatening,” Holbrook said after improving to 58-48 against SEC competition in four seasons as Gamecocks head coach. “We did that all weekend long. Our pitching staff was incredible. We take pride in making it extremely difficult for our opponent to score. I don’t know how to explain that (escaping bases loaded, no out jam). Obviously, you have to have good fortune and you need tough players able to make pitches with the game on the line. It’s a Houdini act.”

USC’s 10-2 record against SEC competition matches the 1998 team (Tanner’s second at USC) for the Gamecocks’ best start in conference play since joining the SEC in 1992.

In addition, this season marks the first time since 1992 the Gamecocks swept three of their first four conference series. They swept two of the first four series on seven occasions - 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2011 and 2013.

The 10-2 start in SEC play marks a stark contrast to a year ago when the Gamecocks stood 6-6 after four weekends of conference competition, although half those wins came in a three game sweep over Kentucky in the opening weekend. After that, USC stumbled to a 3-6 mark

NOTES:

-- Tuesday night’s nonconference clash against North Carolina in Charlotte has been moved to Wednesday night due to forecasted inclement weather. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

-- USC is currently No. 2 in the NCAA Baseball RPI behind Florida. The SEC has three of the top 4 schools in the RPI (Ole Miss is No. 4), four of the top eight schools (Texas A&M is No. 8) and five of the top 10 (Vanderbilt is No. 10).

-- Gamecock hurlers Clarke Schmidt and Braden Webb are tied for the league lead in victories. Both pitchers are 7-1. Schmidt has a 1.77 ERA, third-best ERA among SEC pitchers, in a team-high 56.0 innings. Webb has a 2.17 ERA in 49.2 innings. Both Schmidt (70 K) and Webb (63) are averaging well over one strikeout per inning.

-- By amassing 10 strikeouts against Tennessee, Webb has reached double-digits in strikeouts in three consecutive SEC contests with 11 at Vanderbilt and 14 at Ole Miss on March 25. Webb is the only SEC pitcher to win all four of his starts to open league play.

-- Who was USC’s leading hitter against Tennessee? Jonah Bride. The JUCO transfer (and former high school teammate of Webb at Owasso HS) batted .500 (5-10) against the Vols with

-- It has been the tale of two seasons for junior OF Gene Cone, who has been USC’s top hitter in league play. Cone has hit .370 (17-for-46) in 12 SEC games with a team-high 15 runs scored and .491 on-base percentage. Cone carries a 19-game hitting streak into the UNC game Wednesday and is hitting .323 (32-for-99) for the season. A year ago, Cone started 57 games and hit .257 (55-214). Thus, his batting average has jumped 65 points from 2015.

-- Reagan earned three saves last week with one against Coastal Carolina and a pair against Tennessee. He had two scoreless relief innings in the 7-6 win over Tennessee last Friday. Reagan is 1-0 with a SEC-best 10 saves and a 0.31 ERA in 18 relief appearances. He has allowed just 13 hits in 29.0 IP.

-- After a no-decision on Sunday’s 4-3 victory, freshman RHP Adam Hill stands at 5-0 with a 2.87 ERA in eight starts. Hill has 47 strikeouts in 37.2 innings and opponents are hitting just .214 against him. He has allowed only five extra-base hits, all doubles.

(). Sophomore INF Madison Stokes made his first start of the season in last Tuesday’s 4-2 win over Coastal Carolina. He started three games for the week. Stokes is hitting .273 (3-for-11) in his first four games played this year after recovering from a Jones fracture in his foot.

-- South Carolina leads the SEC with a 2.61 team ERA and a .217 opponents batting average. The Gamecocks have allowed 103 runs and 235 hits in 297.0 innings. The Gamecocks have compiled 319 strikeouts to 105 walks.

-- Defensively, USC has committed just 25 errors in 33 games for a team fielding percentage of .979.

-- The Gamecocks are 22-1 at home.

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS:

April 5 vs. Coastal Carolina, W 4-2

April 8 vs. Tennessee, W 7-6

April 9 vs. Tennessee, W 7-4

April 10 vs. Tennessee, W 4-3

THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE:

4/13/16 – vs. North Carolina (Charlotte, N.C./BB&T Ballpark), 7 p.m. (SEC Network)

4/15/16 – at Georgia, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)

4/16/16 – at Georgia, 6 p.m.

4/17/16 – at Georgia, 1 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)

SEC EAST STANDINGS (As of April 11)

South Carolina 10-2

Florida 8-4

Kentucky 8-4

Vanderbilt 7-5

Georgia 4-8

Missouri 4-8

Tennessee 3-9