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Solid pitching, four RBI by Destino lifts Gamecocks past Missouri

Braden Webb
Braden Webb
Chris Gillespie, Gamecock Central

South Carolina-Missouri Game 2 Box Score

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Three pitchers combining to hold Missouri to four hits with 12 strikeouts and a pair of two-run singles by Alex Destino were enough for South Carolina to secure its fourth SEC series win of the season.

Overcoming an uncharacteristic season-high six walks by Braden Webb, the Gamecocks made two first inning runs stand up in a 5-1 victory over Missouri Saturday afternoon at Founders Park, allowing USC (32-8 overall, 13-4 SEC) to retain possession of first place in the SEC East by one-half game over Florida, which defeated Georgia Saturday in the rubber game.

USC, which improved to 24-1 at home in 2016, goes for the sweep Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

“It’s a great series win and a great day for us,” USC coach Chad Holbrook said. “We beat a great arm. We’ll come to the park ready to go tomorrow hopeful we’ll play a solid game and finish off a great weekend. We played a good game at Furman Wednesday and I love the way we have played the first two here.”

Saturday’s win allowed the Gamecocks to match their 2015 SEC win total (13) with 13 conference games remaining.

Josh Reagan (11 saves) recorded a rare seven-out save, replacing Reed Scott with two outs in the top of the seventh and setting down seven of the eight Mizzou batters he faced.

Jonah Bride led the USC offense with a season high three hits. Gene Cone contributed two hits and two runs, setting a new school record in the process for longest single season hitting streak at 26 games. He is now tied with Whit Merrifield for longest overall streak and could establish a new mark Sunday.

Merrifield had a hit in 26 straight games bridging the 2009-10 seasons.

Missouri sophomore RHP Tanner Houck is widely regarded as one of the top prospects for the 2017 MLB Draft and with a fastball that reaches the mid-90s, it’s easy to see why.

But the Gamecocks put on their hitting shoes early with a double, three singles and a hit by pitch off Houck right out of the gate in the bottom of the first. Destino’s two-run single gave USC a valuable 2-0 lead before an out was recorded.

“Anytime you compete and battle and win a game against an arm like Houck, you have to feel good about your team,” Holbrook said. “We came to the ballpark ready to go and we came out of the gates swinging. We put some good swings on him early. We had him on the ropes there and perhaps could have done a little more damage, but he is so good he can pitch out of trouble. We scratched enough.”

Looking unhittable early, Webb fanned the first four Missouri batters he faced and didn’t encounter serious trouble until the top of the fifth when two walks and a RBI single produced the Tigers’ only run.

Webb walked another Tigers batter before finally escaping the inning without further damage as Missouri left the bases loaded.

“Braden had some really good moments,” Holbrook said. “He just has to eliminate the free passes. Six (walks) in five-and-two-thirds are too much. But Reed got us some big outs and Reagan had a great line to finish the game as well.”

Missouri stranded 10 runners, batting 1-for-11 (.091) with runners on base.

Eventually replaced by Scott, a junior sidewinder, after issuing a two-out walk in the top of the sixth, Webb lasted 5.2 innings, allowing four hits and one run with 10 strikeouts, the fourth time in his last five starts he has totaled 10 or more strikeouts.

“I can’t say it was the greatest outing,” Webb said. “I didn’t give up as many hits as the last two times out, but six walks are too many. I have to go back to the drawing board and become a better student of the game and figure out where my timing is on some pitches so I can limit those walks.”

With the Gamecocks ahead, 3-1, in the top of the seventh, Holbrook decided to bring in Reagan, who had made just one appearance in the past 13 days, for a possible seven-out save.

“Their best hitter was coming up and Josh hadn’t thrown in a while,” Holbrook said. “Tyler (Johnson) was not available today (after throwing 40 pitches Friday night) and we wanted to try to win the series today. That was a big moment in the game. With Reagan out there, I liked our chances. He was fresh and ready to go. He was terrific.”

Reagan hit the first Mizzou batter he faced to put runners at first and second with two outs before DTW made a nice running shoestring catch in right-center to end the threat.

A throwing error by the Missouri first baseman on a potential double play grounder (second game in a row the Tigers have botched a DP in a key situation) put Gamecock runners at second and third with no outs in the bottom of the seventh.

After Jones fanned, Destino delivered his second two-run single of the afternoon to increase USC’s lead to 5-1.

Reagan issued a one-out walk in the top of the eighth, but quickly picked off the Mizzou runner. He slammed the door shut on Missouri by quickly working a perfect top of the ninth without the ball leaving the infield to earn his 11th save of the season.

Reagan began the afternoon tied with Alabama’s Thomas Burrows for the SEC saves lead.

“You feel good about your chances when you have the lead and Reagan is out there because he is going to make the opponent beat him,” Tanner said. “He throws the ball over the plate. The way the wind was blowing in today, we felt good about our chances.”

LINESCORE

MIZ (20-20): 000 010 000 = 1-4-1

USC (32-8): 201 000 20x = 5-8-1

WP – Braden Webb (8-2)

LP – Tanner Houck (4-4)

SV – Josh Reagan (11)

HR – None

RBI – Destino (4).

LOB – USC 6, Missouri 10

A – 7,753

Time – 2:39

Weather: Partly cloudy, 80 degrees, wind 13-22 mph

Gamecock Pitchers: Braden Webb (5.2 IP, 99 pitches), Reed Scott (1.0 IP, 15 pitches), Josh Reagan (2.1 IP, 33 pitches).

HOW THE RUNS SCORED:

USC 1st – Cone singled to left, DTW doubled to left, Jones hit by pitch, Destino singled to right (2 RBI), Bride singled to right, Williams reached on fielder’s choice (1-2), Cullen struckout, Arendas struckout. TWO RUNS, FOUR HITS (USC 2-0).

USC 3rd – Bride doubled to right, Williams grounded to first, Bride scored on passed ball, Cullen grounded to pitcher, Arendas struckout. ONE RUN, ONE HIT (USC 3-0).

MIZ 5th – McGuire struck out, Nelson walked, Benes struck out, Brumfield walked, Ring singled to right (RBI), Howard walked, Lavy flied to center. ONE RUN, ONE HIT (USC 3-1).

USC 7th – Cone singled to shortstop, DTW reached on fielder’s choice and advanced to second on throwing error (E3), Jones struckout, Destino singled to right-center (2 RBI), Bride grounded into double play (4-6-3). TWO RUNS, TWO HITS (USC 5-1).

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