Kingston, players share what it would mean to advance to College World Series
South Carolina is just two wins away from reaching the College World Series for the first time in over a decade.
It’s been awhile since the Gamecocks have been this close to getting back to Omaha. They came within a win of making it in 2018. After that, they endured some tough times, even finishing with a losing record for the first time since 1996 last year.
But after making it through regional play, it’s been hard not to think about what could be.
“When I got recruited, that’s what they talked about. My commit class is the best that we’ve ever had, hypothetically, with all the rankings and stuff,” Will Sanders said.
“Jack (Mahoney) and I, ever since freshman year, we’ve been talking about junior year. When I got that last out he was the first person to come here and hug me. That was the moment where three years of hard work and us doing everything, even over the summer last year, we lose in the SEC Tournament to Florida. This is what we’ve worked for and everything we’ve ever wanted is a chance to win two games to get to Omaha.”
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For the players on this team, playing in the College World Series is something they’ve dreamed of doing.
When Cole Messina was a boy, he took a picture with Gamecock great Jackie Bradley Jr. He was around the right age to grow up watching the best years of South Carolina baseball.
Messina is a local kid from Summerville. So playing on college baseball’s biggest stage has some importance to him.
“It would mean the world,” Messina said. “I think I’d make a lot of people proud just to be a part of the team. But I think it would mean the world just for the fanbase, for the state of South Carolina, for everybody.”
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For others, they’re just happy to be on this journey.
“There have already been memories that will last a lifetime here. For this to happen and us to be two games away from Omaha, to make that happen will be something I’ll never forget,” Braylen Wimmer said.
If the Gamecocks were to reach their final destination, it would be a new experience. None of the players on the roster have been to Omaha before. Fortunately, their head coach has.
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Mark Kingston was a late-round MLB Draft pick by the New York Yankees in 1988. He could’ve opted to go the professional route out of high school but instead attended North Carolina. And it would be the right move. The Tar Heels, with a freshman Kingston, reached the College World Series in 1989.
It wouldn’t be Kingston’s only trip to Omaha. As a second-year assistant under Jim Morris at Miami, the Hurricanes won it all in 2001. He also helped Tulane make the College World Series in 2005, where the Green Wave went 1-2.
“I’ve been blessed to be there as a player and as an assistant coach twice. I would love to go there with South Carolina,” Kingston said.
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If South Carolina were to make it that far, Kingston believes his team could compete with anyone.
“I mean, there’s no question about it but so can Florida, so can LSU,” he said. “There’s 16 teams left playing. Any one of them can go to Omaha now and play well, and obviously, we’re one of those teams.”
There’s still some work to be done before thinking ahead, though. The Gamecocks will head to Gainesville to take on the No. 2-seeded Florida Gators in the Super Regional.
Some might jump to the conclusion that South Carolina should be able to handle the Gators after sweeping them in late April. But a lot has changed since then. And Kingston knows that.
“It’s going to be a challenge because last time it was in our ballpark, this time it’ll be in their ballpark. But as I said, they’re a really good team. We’re a really good team. Let’s get after it,” Kingston said.
South Carolina begins its series with Florida Friday night at 6 p.m. with Saturday’s game at 3 p.m. The time and network for Sunday’s game, if needed, will be announced after Saturday’s game.
