Gamecock outfielder Ethan Petry bringing a new discipline entering sophomore season
Ethan Petry set the bar high in his first season of college baseball as a Gamecock. He made the all-SEC First Team as well as the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2023, among many other awards.
Petry is adding a new maturity to his game this season after a successful freshman year with South Carolina.
Junior catcher Cole Messina said Petry has grown in how he prepares himself for games.
“I think his maturity levels, like the conversations we have on a day-to-day basis,” Messina said. “I can just see that he’s growing up right before my eyes.”
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Petry played in 63 games during the 2023 season and started in 61. His batting average of .376 led South Carolina and he hit 23 homers with 75 RBIs.
“Believe it or not, there are still places he can get better,” head coach Mark Kingston said. “Plate discipline, strikeout-to-walk ratio can continue to improve with him and it has. He has gotten better in those areas.”
Petry’s 23 home runs last year broke the Gamecock record for most as a freshman. Even with the broken records, Messina said Petry has become more disciplined batting at the plate.
“He doesn’t take an unnecessary amount of swings, it’s more of a feel-good, get his work in and get out,” Messina said. “Last year you could see the freshman just hitting just to say they hit and whatnot, so I think it’s a maturity thing from him.”
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Kingston echoed Messina, saying Petry has grown to be a more mature hitter this offseason.
“Last fall he hit one homer leading into the season, this fall he hit six,” Kingston said. “So I don’t think he’s six times better than he was last year, but I think he is better, he’s a better player.”
Petry is already bringing in awards before this season has even gotten underway. He is on the preseason All-SEC First Team and a D1Baseball.com preseason First Team All-American, among others.
“He shows up every day ready to work, and I think the difference is how he goes about his business now,” Messina said. “(He) knows what he needs, what he doesn’t need.”
Petry said he worked on improving his defense, his range, and his discipline during the offseason.
“Laying off that inside pitch that may get me jammed, because I have really long levers, and if I lay off that pitch and eventually get my pitch, or out over the plate where I hit the best, it’s just no telling what happens,” Petry said.
