South Carolina shortstop Will Tippett launched a 3-1 pitch for a two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning, and Ashton Crowther retired the Wildcats in order in the eighth and ninth innings, as the Gamecock took a 5-4 win over the Wildcats Saturday night in Lexington to earn a split of their doubleheader. UK won the opener 7-3.
The Gamecocks trailed 4-3 going to the top of the eighth. Dalton Mashore, playing right field for an injured Ethan Petry, led off with a single and with one out went to third on a passed ball. Tippett then followed with his two-run blast, his first home run of the season.
Crowther had entered the game with one out in the seventh inning and he retired all eight batters he faced. He struck out four and threw strikes on 21 of his 29 pitches.
The Wildcats took an early 3-1 lead off of Jake McCoy who pitched into the fifth and allowed all four Kentucky runs and all five hits. The Gamecocks tied the game in the top of the third on a two-run double by Nathan Hall.
The Wildcats retook the lead 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth, but first Caleb Jones and then Crowther (2-0) blanked them the rest of the way.
Henry Kaczmar led the 12-hit USC attack with three hits including a double. Hall had two hits and two RBIs. The Gamecocks had four hits with runners in scoring position.
In the opener, Kentucky got a two-run homer in the bottom of the first off of Brandon Stone (2-5) for a quick lead. The Gamecocks responded in the second with an RBI double from Beau Hollins and a run scoring single by Gavin Braland to tie the game at 2-2.
The score stayed that way until the bottom of the fifth when the Wildcats scored an unearned run on a throwing error by USC third baseman KJ Scobey. They added single runs in the sixth and seventh innings, and then scored twice in the eighth for a 7-3 lead.
The Wildcats had nine hits, including two doubles and a homer. Their hitters struck out just once while dawning three walks and being hit by pitches twice. The Cats also were successful on seven of eight base stealing attempts.
Kentucky starter Nate Harris limited the Gamecocks to four hits over seven innings. He struck out seven and walked one. After allowing a one out walk to Petry in the third, Harris retired the next 14 hitters in a row before being relieved.
Stone gave the Gamecocks seven innings. He allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits. Tyler Pitzer started the eighth and walked his first batter and the his his second. His third batter hit a single that scored a run. Aidan Palmer relieved Pitzer and with one out gave up a bunt single to third that scored a run. A double play ended the inning.
The Gamecocks are now 25-19 overall and 5-15 in the SEC. The teams will play the rubber game of the series Sunday afternoon starting at 1:00 PM>