Lack of timely hitting, defensive lapses cost Gamecocks in Super Regional
South Carolina’s season-long inconsistency at the plate finally caught up with them at the worst possible time.
Hitless with runners in scoring position (0-9), together with stranding nine runners and two disastrous defensive lapses in the same inning, conspired to end the Gamecocks’ 2016 season in frustrating fashion Sunday afternoon in a 3-1 loss to Oklahoma State in Game 2 of the Super Regional in front of 7,677 sun-scorched fans at toasty Founders Park.
The Cowboys head to the College World Series for the first time since 1999, denying USC their fourth trip this decade in the process.
USC finished the season with a 46-18 record - the most wins under Chad Holbrook in his four years at the helm - and advanced to the Super Regionals for the second time since he took over the program in 2013.
The Gamecocks mustered just two runs and 15 hits (all singles except for one) in two games against Oklahoma State’s talented pitching staff and suffocating defense. Sunday, the nemesis was Tyler Buffett, who allowed one run on eight hits in 7.0 innings with four strikeouts.
“We ran into some outstanding pitchers and a great defensive team,” Holbrook said. “They made it awfully difficult to score for us. Unfortunately, we gave them some runs and that put the momentum in their dugout.”
Prior to the ninth inning, the Gamecocks had two runners on base in four of their first eight at-bats yet scored just one run on a wild pitch in the eighth inning.
Too often, the Gamecocks failed to come through at the plate with runners on base. Consecutive one-out singles in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings were immediately followed with a strikeout, strikeout and double play, respectively.
“They made some quality pitches with runners on base,” Holbrook said. “Most of our opportunities came with one or two outs, and the odds are against you with two outs. We had a couple of opportunities, but they made the pitches they had to make when they needed it. The difference in the series was their pitchers were betters than our hitters.
“We weren’t able to put enough together with runners in scoring position when it counted. We had nine hits. They had eight. But they got ‘em when it counted. We couldn’t get that big one when we needed it most.”
However, a lack of clutch hitting wasn’t the lone culprit for the Gamecocks on Sunday. Two critical defensive mistakes led to all three OSU runs in the bottom of the fifth.
After a leadoff single and stolen base put an OSU runner into scoring position with one out, Gamecock shortstop Marcus Mooney made a poor decision on a routine grounder by trying to catch the Cowboys runner off second base, but his throw sailed high and the runner ended up on third.
Moments later, Oklahoma State executed the suicide squeeze to perfection as the bunt to the right side scored the runner form third. A RBI single through the right side provided OSU a 2-0 lead.
The Cowboys completed the scoring by virtue of another error by the Gamecocks when catcher John Jones sailed a throw into centerfield, easily scoring the OSU runner from third.
The inning’s tally: three runs, two hits, two errors.
“I hate we had the tough fifth inning that we did,”, Holbrook said. “It was out of character for us. It cost us. If we make that play (grounder to Mooney), who knows, maybe we win 1-0. But that’s baseball. You can’t have a bad inning in the Super Regional or you won’t advance. We had a bad inning against the wrong teams at the wrong time. We have been good defensively all year long.”
The throwing error was just Mooney’s 13th miscue of the season, a very respectable figure for a college shortstop.
“He just made a mistake,” Holbrook said. “He was trying to make a play. He is the player on defense I trust the most, and still do. Believe me, he wishes he had it back.”
Those ill-timed defensive lapses made a hard-luck loser of Clarke Schmidt, who shook off three mediocre starts in a row to hurl six effective innings, allowing three runs on six hits with six strikeouts and two walks.
“I’m proud of Clarke for the way he pitched,” Holbrook said. “He was terrific for a guy that had struggled of late. He certainly gave us a chance to win. That was a neat start for him. I know he will go back to work and commit himself to having an even better year next year.”
Schmidt finished his sophomore season with 129 strikeouts, seventh-most in Gamecock history.
Tyler Johnson, a possible Game 3 starter had the Gamecocks won Sunday, fanned four of the seven Oklahoma State batters he faced in two innings. Johnson led USC with 17 strikeouts in the post-season.
Gene Cone scored USC’s only run in the top of the eighth when he led off with a walk (the only time the Gamecocks’ leadoff batter reached base), advanced to third on a single and flyout and raced home on a wild pitch.
An inning later, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Cone, representing the go-ahead run, followed a walk to DC Arendas and a sharp single by Mooney by lining a pitch directly at the Oklahoma second baseman for the final out of the Super Regional.
“Baseball can be a cruel sport,” Holbrook said. “We had three great at-bats to end the game. Mooney ended his career here with one of the best at-bats against a quality pitcher he has had in his career here. Gene squared one out. Sometimes you hit those out.”
Mooney led USC with three hits, his first three-hit outing since April 20 at Furman.
USC’s inability to get the leadoff batter on base limited the Gamecocks’ options as far as bunting and the hit-and-run was concerned.
“When the leadoff man doesn’t get on, it’s tough when you can’t put any plays on and you can’t hit-and-run or bunt much,” Holbrook said. “And you can’t put too much on when you’re behind as well.”
Oklahoma State capped a perfect run through the Palmetto State, winning all five games of the Clemson Regional and Gamecock Super Regional and compiling a perfect 4-0 record against Clemson and South Carolina in the process.
By early Sunday evening, five teams had advanced to the College World Series – Arizona, USC Santa Barbara, Texas Tech, Miami and Oklahoma State.
LINESCORE
USC (46-18): 000 000 010 = 1-9-2
OSU (41-20): 000 030 00x = 3-8-0
WP – Tyler Buffett (7-4)
LP – Clarke Schmidt (9-5)
SV – Trey Cobb (5)
HR – None
RBI – None
LOB – USC 9, OSU 7
A – 7,677
Time – 2:52
Gamecock Pitchers: Clarke Schmidt (6.0, 103 pitches), Tyler Johnson (2.0 IP, 24 pitches)
HOW THE RUNS SCORED:
OSU 5th - Littell singled to left, Littell stole second, Theroux popped to shortstop, Davis reached on fielder's choice and Littell advanced to third on throwing error by shortstop (E6), Hassel sacrificed (RBI), Walton singled to right (RBI), Walton stole second and Hassel scored on throwing error by catcher (E2), Benge grounded to shortstop, Costello flied out to right. 3 RUNS, 2 HITS (OSU 3-0).
USC 8th – Cone walked, Hopkins singled to center, <Mertz for Buffett>, DTW flied to center (Cone to 3B), Cone scored on wild pitch, Destino grounded to second (Hopkins to 3B), Jones flied to center. 1 RUN, 1 HIT (OSU 3-1).
