Gamecocks getting much-needed production from Gavin Casas
Gavin Casas can smile about it now.
About a week removed from a brief baseball break and two games into the tournament, it’s easy to see the confidence Casas has as he and the Gamecocks enjoy the moments after beating NC State.
And why shouldn’t Casas smile about it? He’s one of the biggest reasons why the South Carolina offense has clicked. And why the Gamecocks are one win away from a Super Regional.
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“Right now I feel pretty good at the plate. This week was back to the fundamentals. It was a tough stretch there so I was glad to get away from baseball for a little bit,” Casas said. “But everything we worked on this week is playing out now. I’m pretty content with it so far.”
South Carolina has a few guys hitting well to start postseason play, but Casas’ improvement is incredibly noticeable so far.
So far in this regional Casas is 5-for-8 with a double and five RBI, including two more in a win over the Wolfpack Saturday. He’s scored three times and walked once. But the big thing is just one strikeout, something he struggled with at times this year.
Casas has shown a willingness to hit the ball to the opposite field with what appears to be a refined plate approach after a tough stretch. It’s paying dividends for the Gamecocks.
“I think a big problem with me this year has been getting too big and trying to hit that home run. But I’ve simplified it and tried to put the ball in play,” he said. “Good things happen when you put the ball in play.”
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His re-emergence in the middle of South Carolina’s order is huge for this offense that needed rejuvenation after sputtering down the stretch.
Casas, like the rest of the offense, struggled the final month of the season. He slashed .212/.317/.385 over his final 52 at-bats in SEC play. He put up just five hits over the final two weeks of the regular season and the SEC Tournament.
The first baseman has as many hits in two games as he did over that stretch.
That two-day stretch the Gamecocks got off after the SEC Tournament and before beginning tournament preparations was big for Casas, who got a chance to reset.
“Just looked at video, looked at guys’ swings,” Casas said. “I spoke to my brother a little bit. Monte and I had conversations about the approach. That’s pretty much all that went into it.”
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And South Carolina will need him to continue to take good at-bats and be that run-producing left-hander in the lineup.
“I mean, it gives me all the confidence in the world,” Casas said. “I step up to the plate with a lot of confidence as is, but having some success helps.”
