Noah Hall lifts Gamecocks to Friday night win over Ole Miss

After a blowout loss Thursday, South Carolina was able to bounce back and force a massive Saturday rubber match with its 4-2 win over Ole Miss.

“Great ballgame for us,” head coach Mark Kingston said. “All four pitchers that threw tonight were really good but Noah Hall, for us, was the story. He was tremendous all night.”

South Carolina (17-17, 5-9 SEC) now has another opportunity to come back after being down early in a weekend series, something that has been a mainstay for the team this season.

“We know we can bounce back, we did it vs Texas, we did it vs Vandy, so we’re just— I think we got that dog mentality,” Noah Hall said. “We don’t give in. We don’t care who we playing. We don’t care what day it is, we don’t care if it’s first game series, the last game series we just go out there and play.”

The Gamecocks rode another solid outing from Hall to victory, giving him his second win of the season. Hall pitched a career-high 7.2 innings, gave up six hits, and struck out five batters in an electric outing.

After the game Kingston said that Hall’s development has been “crucial” to the success of the team, adding that his “A plus” command combined with his competitiveness has made him an important part of the rotation.

“I just want to go out there and compete and execute every single pitch that I can and try to win,” Hall said. That’s really all I care about.”

The only blemish on Hall’s night came by way of Ole Miss first baseman Tim Elko, who hit two home runs off Hall en route to a four-hit night.

Offensively, South Carolina had five hits — three fewer than game one — but the difference was a big swing from red-hot Josiah Sightler.

The Gamecocks’ senior launched a three-run shot in the third inning to give South Carolina a lead it would never relinquish.

Sightler was replaced by Elijah Lambros in the seventh inning after he left the game with an apparent injury, but there isn’t any long-term worry from Sightler at least.

Kingston said after the game that Sightler has a high ankle sprain and is a “game day decision” for game three.

“I’m feeling fine, ankle’s a little sore but I should be ready to go for tomorrow,” Sightler said.

While the Gamecocks might have to deal with losing Sightler for a game or two, they did get Brandt Belk back into the lineup on Friday after he was out briefly with an illness.

Belk extended his hitting streak to 21 games in the third inning when he singled on a bunt to the third-base side. He finished the game 1-for-4.

“He just makes us go. Whether it’s with getting hits, whether it’s getting the bunt down, just whatever it is,” Kingston said. “He just brings a different dynamic to our lineup and having him there at the top — last night we played Carson Hornung, a freshman — it’s just, it’s different when you’ve got an older guy up there set the tone for your lineup.”

Freshman Matthew Becker came in to replace Hall with one out remaining in the eighth inning and stayed in to secure the win for the Gamecocks. He pitched 1.1 innings and struck out three batters on his way to earning his third save of the year.