South Carolina defeats Ole Miss to salvage first SEC series
South Carolina baseball battled back after a tough first two games of the weekend to defeat Ole Miss 6-2 Sunday as Talmadge LeCroy came up big at the plate and in the field, and the Gamecocks avoided a sweep in their first SEC series of the season.
“I just told the guys it’s really hard to to play as well as we did today, on the road, in the SEC against a team like we played after two frustrating days,” head coach Mark Kingston said. “I was really proud of the resolve we had today.”
Returning to the Sunday starter position, Roman Kimball pitched 1.2 scoreless, hitless innings but struggled to find the strike zone and exited in the second after walking the bases loaded. He surrendered five total walks and struck out one.
Matthew Becker came in to relieve Kimball on the mound. In a standout performance, Becker not only got out of the inning without giving up a run but also earned the win, giving up four hits and two runs with four strikeouts and no walks in 5.1 innings.
“Been practicing all week and then you get the opportunity to come out here and execute. Kind of just separate the practice and the mental thoughts and just go out there and compete,” Becker said. “I feel like it’s the same thing coming in with nobody on, just go out there and throw strikes, make them put it in play and defense make a play.”
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To finish the game, Garrett Gainey relieved Becker on the mound, throwing two scoreless innings and striking out two batters.
“No only is his stuff at an elite level but I think he’s growing more comfortable,” Kingston said. “And his poise is growing, I just think he’s been a tremendous addition for us.”
The Rebels cracked after beating South Carolina by nine runs in game two. Ole Miss starting pitcher Grayson Saunier also struggled to find the strike zone allowing nine hits and five runs in 4.1 innings pitched.
After dropping games one and two to the Rebels, South Carolina made some lineup changes including adding Blake Jackson into left field and having Tyler Causey replace Gavin Casas at first base.
“I wanted to give us a chance to maybe get a spark with more than just hitting the long ball,” Kingston said. “We added Jackson and his athleticism and it showed up a lot today.”
Jackson went 2-for-3 at the plate scoring one run and getting the ball in motion. In the field, Jackson made a diving catch late in the seventh to stop the Rebels offense.
In addition, Kennedy Jones moved to the designated hitter spot in the lineup and went 2-for-5 at the plate.
When South Carolina needed it most, the bats got moving. The Gamecocks got hot early with Causey sending one out of the park for a two-run home run in the second.
LeCroy also came up big for South Carolina in the fifth. LeCroy doubled to left field sending two runs in extending the Gamecocks lead to 5-0.
“I was just looking for something out over the plate that I could just do some damage on,” LeCroy said. “He came in on me, they had kind of been pitching me in all weekend with the shift they put me on so I knew I had to get to a good fastball.”
It was a big day for LeCroy going 3-for-5 at the plate with two RBIs and two runs scored. Parker Noland got on the board as well with two hits in five at-bats.
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Continuing on their struggle, Cole Messina and Ethan Petry both lacked at the plate. Messina went 0-for-4 and Petry 1-for-4.
Late in the sixth inning, Ole Miss got on the board with back-to-back hits from Ethan Lege and Treyson Hughes but they could not catch the Gamecocks lead.
Up next: The Gamecocks will travel to Greenville, South Carolina to take on USC Upstate (14-7) on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. at Fluor Field and the game will be available to watch on ESPN Plus.
