Had Saturday’s SEC baseball game between South Carolina and 3rd-ranked Arkansas been a prize fight, someone in USC’s corner would have mercifully thrown in the towel. The Razorbacks used body blows and uppercuts before throwing a devastating haymaker in the first inning to knock out the Gamecocks 12-3 at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The victory clinched the weekend series for the home team, who run-ruled Carolina 12-2 on Friday night. USC fell to 1-4 in the SEC with the loss and 17-7 overall.
An eight-run opening frame for the Razorbacks best sums up the day. After the Gamecocks went down in order in the top of the first, Arkansas wasted no time in putting Saturday’s tilt to bed.
The decisive at-bat started off innocently enough with a flyout and a strikeout. Then a parade of batters came to the plate against USC starter Jake McCoy. Hit by a pitch, a base hit, a three-run home run, another hit by pitch, another base hit, and an infield single loaded the bases with three runs already home. A walk and an error by shortstop Henry Kaczmar plated a pair of runs and ended the day for McCoy.
Roman Kimball was the first one out of the bullpen and promptly gave up a two-run double and a bases-loaded walk before finally retiring the side with a strikeout of Brent Iredale. The third baseman, who started the scoring with that three-run homer earlier in the inning, was the fourteenth batter that Arkansas sent to the plate in the first inning.
Woozy, but still on their feet, the Gamecocks quickly responded with three runs in the top of the second to close the deficit to 8-3. But with the bases loaded and two outs, Gamecock slugger Ethan Petry grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the inning and USC’s best opportunity to get back into the game.
Arkansas plated two more runs in the third, before tacking on single runs in the fifth and sixth for the final margin of victory.
McCoy (2-2) suffered the loss, working just two-thirds of an inning, allowing eight runs (four earned) on four base hits. Arkansas reliever Aiden Jimenez picked up the win to improve to 2-0 on the season.
The series finale is Sunday at 3 p.m.