Hill provides the thrill as Gamecocks blank Appalachian State
Assuredly, few South Carolina freshman pitchers have enjoyed a mound debut as memorable as the one Adam Hill experienced Tuesday afternoon.
Rated by Diamond Prospects as the second best right-handed pitcher in the Palmetto State last year at T.L. Hanna High School, Hill struck out 11 batters and allowed just two hits in 6.0 innings to lead the Gamecocks past Appalachian State, 5-0, in front of a sparse crowd at chilly Founders Park.
USC improved to 4-0 overall and faces Winthrop Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Founders Park.
Hill dominated the Appalachian State hitters from the first pitch, fanning five of the first six Mountaineer hitters and retiring the first 10 hitters he faced until plunking a batter with one out in the top of the fourth.
“The story of the game was our pitching staff and Adam Hill was terrific in his South Carolina debut,” USC coach Chad Holbrook said. “Ever since we returned to school from the holiday break, he has been like that every time out. It has been fun to watch him grow and develop. We thought when we signed Adam that we were getting a kid that had a bright future here. You can see why we thought that today.”
Appalachian State’s lone hits against Hill were two-out singles in the fourth and sixth innings. He finished with a flourish, striking out two ASU hitters in the fifth and sixth innings.
His 11 strikeouts were a single-game high by a Gamecock pitcher since Jack Wynkoop fanned 12 Vanderbilt hitters last season.
“It was an incredible performance by him,” Holbrook said. “You can’t sit on just one pitch against him. His breaking ball was good and hard. He had some giddy-up on his fastball. He got into a groove for a while and had great command. He has a good change up, a good breaking ball and he located his fastball. He threw some fastballs in that were outstanding. Kudos to him. It was a very mature performance for a freshman.”
Josh Reagan (perfect 7th) and Colton Provey, a JUCO transfer from Walters State Community College, recorded the final nine outs, striking out five Appalachian State hitters in the process.
“Josh and Colton closed it down and threw well behind (Hill),” Holbrook said.
The Gamecock bullpen has yet to allow a run in 14 innings so far this season. Through four games, the Gamecocks have allowed just four runs in 36 innings.
Junior outfielder Gene Cone collected three of USC’s five hits in his first start of the season.
The Gamecocks scored twice in the bottom of the second when Marcus Mooney’s bases-loaded fly ball to the base of the left field wall (thus, he fell a few short of a grand slam) was dropped by the Appalachian State left fielders, allowing Jonah Bride and Cone to cross home plate.
While the left fielder was charged with an error, Mooney was likewise credited with a sacrifice fly, so he was not charged with an at-bat. The second run was ruled unearned.
Bride’s RBI single in the third gave USC a 3-0 lead. The Gamecocks completed the scoring in the bottom of the sixth. After Bride walked and Cone singled on a perfectly executed hit and run, Mooney singled to left for his second RBI of the game.
Moments later, Clark Scolamiero stoked a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Cone with the final run of the contest.
After that, the Gamecock bullpen went to work. Reagan and Provey combined to strikeout five of the 11 Appalachian State batters they faced over the final three innings,
When the Mountaineers hit back-to-back singles off Provey with two outs in the top of the ninth, it marked the only time in the game ASU had a runner reach second base.
NOTES
-- After the game, Holbrook said he had “no idea” who would pitch Wednesday’s home game against Winthrop, adding a few guys are available. He said the coaches could “mix-and-match.”
-- With severe weather in the forecast for Wednesday, Holbrook said he hopes the teams will play “at some point.” Forecasts show less than a 50 percent chance of rain at first pitch.
-- After Sunday’s game, Holbrook said Adam Hill was in the conversation for a weekend spot. Tuesday, he said Hill would most likely stay the Tuesday starter but “we have four weekend starters; I think you saw that today…If I think he needs to be on the weekend, that’s where I’ll put him.”
-- Gamecock pitchers have given up only four runs on 14 hits in 36 innings played. They’ve also struck out 46 batters while only walking 11.
-- Alex Destino went 0-for-3 today, bringing his season total to 2-for-17. Holbrook said he’s not worried about the sophomore: “We’re going to play our guys. They’re our players, they’re our guys. We do have some depth, we have some guys that we can put in there from time-to-time, but I’m not worried about our team.”
-- Mooney had one hit Tuesday, keeping his season average at .333. During his post-game press conference, he asked “Show of hands, who thought that was gone?... I did think that was gone, but what are you going to do?”
-- The Gamecocks were hit by pitch three times Tuesday, bringing the season HBP total to 10 in four games.
-- USC stole three bases, giving them six stolen bases in seven attempts (85 percent) this season.
-- South Carolina played errorless baseball for the third time in four games. They have played 35 of 36 innings without an error.
HOW THE RUNS SCORED
USC 2nd – Bride hit by pitch, Cone singled to third (bunt), Arendas walked, Mooney reached on fielding error by left fielder (E7), Bride and Cone scored (Mooney credited with SF), Scolamiero fouled out to third. Two RUNS, ONE HIT (USC 2-0).
USC 3rd – Jones struckout, Destino walked, Destino advanced to second on wild pitch, Bride singled to center (RBI), Cone fouled out to third, Bride advanced to second on stolen base and advanced to third on throwing error (E2), Arendas struckout. ONE RUN, ONE HIT (USC 3-0).
USC 6th – Bride walked, Cone singled to right-center, Arendas struckout, Mooney singled to left (RBI), Scolamiero hits sacrifice fly to left (RBI), Tolbert grounded to second. ONE RUN, TWO HITS (USC 5-0).
