South Carolina falls to Kentucky behind Wildcats' compete-game shutout
Coming off a 10-run, 11-hit performance Friday night, No. 7 South Carolina was riding a wave of confidence getting ready to face Kentucky’s ace Dustin Beggs. But the tables turned quickly and Beggs was able to pitch a complete game shutout to get a 6-0 win over the Gamecocks.
He would go wire-to-wire, striking out seven and giving up only three hits.
“Their pitcher is terrific. He threw the ball where he wanted too all night long. We had a couple good at-bats against him but when we did we hit it right at them,” head coach Chad Holbrook said. “He threw a great game.”
Like Friday, South Carolina (36-10, 16-6 SEC) fell behind early after starting pitcher Braden Webb gave up three runs in the second inning. After that, Beggs settled in.
He allowed two base runners in the first inning behind a fielding error and a walk, but retired 14 straight Gamecock batters after that. He carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before a Dom Thompson-Williams two-out single.
South Carolina was able to hit the ball well, but Kentucky’s defense was seemingly always there. Left fielder Zach Reks had two running catches to rob Gamecocks of extra bases in the game.
“That’s baseball. All you can do is barrel it up and if the outcome doesn’t come back positive, you can’t be mad about it,” Thompson-Williams said. “I think it’s good found the barrel, but we have to find a way to win. That’s what we preach here and we didn’t do that tonight.”
Coming in to Saturday’s game, Beggs had a 2.79 ERA. That dropped to 2.50 after only Thompson-Williams and Alex Destino were able to muster hits. Gene Cone’s 31-game hitting streak was snapped.
The closest he came was in the ninth inning during his final at-bat. He hit one to the gap in right-center field, but a running grab by Dorian Hairston would smother any hopes of the ball dropping.
“That last one I thought there was a chance it would fall for me,” Cone said.
He did reach on a fielding error in the first, however, to keep his on-base streak alive at 34 games. After the games, he said the streak “felt good at the time.”
“It wasn’t our night,” he said. “You’re not going to get hits every game, although we’d love to. But what are you going to do?”
Webb, who came into the game looking for his tenth win of the year, looked shaky to start. He gave up four runs in the first four innings. In the fourth inning he threw three wild pitches, which allowed the runner to cross home.
The freshman would pitch 7 innings and give the majority of the bullpen the night off, saving them for Sunday’s rubber match. The only other pitcher to throw for the Gamecocks was Brandon Murray.
His six hits allowed and five earned were the most he’s given up since April 16 at Georgia, his only other loss of the season.
“I had to make an adjustment on the mound, and I didn’t find it until later in the game. And it bit me in the butt. I can’t explain the feeling. I mean I don’t like losing, but it should have been a better outcome,” he said. “Baseball happened tonight. It wasn’t in the big man’s plan for me to win.”
South Carolina missed an opportunity to gain a game on Florida, who lost to Tennessee Saturday, in the SEC standings. This keeps their lead at one game over the Gators.
The rubber match is Sunday at 3 p.m. South Carolina will likely start freshman Adam Hill (6-0, 2.57 ERA). Kentucky, who threw its ace Saturday, is projected to start senior Kyle Cody (5-2, 4.06 ERA).
And after falling behind early in both games this weekend, the Gamecocks will be looking to jump on Cody early and get the taste of Begg’s complete game out of their mouth.
“In this league, sometimes you get stuff. And their kid stuffed us tonight,” Holbrook said. “We’ll try to bounce back tomorrow. Maybe we’ll get ahead in the game. It’s hard to come from behind, especially the way he was throwing.”
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