FOUNDERS PARK: Coming off an SEC series at Arkansas, and with an SEC series with Tennessee starting Thursday, USC coach Mark Kingston went deep into his pitching staff for arms Tuesday night against Charlotte. Eight pitchers worked for the Gamecocks and five allowed runs in an 11-9 loss to the 49ers, a .500 team that swept the two game season series with the Gamecocks and has won the last three meetings.
The Gamecocks scored four runs in the bottom of the first, three on a home run by Cole Messina, but the pitching could not protect the lead. Cade Austin started and made it through the first two innings unscathed. He was touched for a two-run homer by Blake Jackson in the third.
Wesley Sweatt followed and yielded an RBI single in his inning of work but left with a 5-3 lead after the Gamecocks scored a run in the bottom of the fourth.
The 49ers took the lead with three runs off Austin Williamson in the fifth, then made it 7-5 with a run off of Brett Thomas in the sixth. Nick Proctor pitched a scoreless top of the seventh, and that allowed Talmadge LeCroy to tie the game with a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning.
Proctor got the first out of the eighth and was replaced by the normally reliable Chris Veach. But with two outs, Veach yielded a two-run double and an RBI single. He also injured his hip and needed medical attention after the game. Connor McCreery followed and allowed the fourth run of the inning to score on a wild pitch.
Now down 11-7, the Gamecocks got a two-run homer from Dylan Brewer to cut the lead in half. With two outs and Messina on first, Gavin Casas singled to left. Messina was waived around third but was easily thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
Sam Simpson kept the 49ers off the board in the ninth, but the Gamecocks went down in order to end the game.
The eight USC hurlers gave up 15 hits, including six doubles and a homer, and walked six. They did strike out 16 batters, tying the season high for the pitching staff.
The Gamecocks also lost Will McGillis again during the game. He reaggravated the arm injury he just recovered from on a check swing.
The Gamecocks are 37-15, and their RPI dropped to #5 with the loss. They will close out the regular season with the three games against the Vols starting Thursday night.
It’s getting painful to watch, how do you go from ranked #3 to playing like the bad news bears. Time for Kingston to go, I hope they go after Landon Powel or someone with a proven record.