South Carolina’s pitching has been an issue for much of the season, especially on Sundays in the SEC.
Heading into its series finale at Kentucky, the Gamecocks had been outscored 57-25 on getaway day in the SEC, posting an 0-6 record in those contests. With a flight getting ready to taxi off the bluegrass, the script remained the same as the Wildcats raced past the Gamecocks 11-5 to win the weekend set with USC. The six-run victory also handed Kentucky its first home SEC series triumph of the season.
The game started off well for the visitors, as starting pitcher Dylan Eskew faced the minimum through the first two innings, allowing USC to break out on top in the third. With Will Tippett standing at second, Gavin Braland singled home the first run of the game with his only hit of the afternoon. However, the 1-0 lead was short-lived.
Kentucky tied the game in the bottom of the third with a one-out home run from Luke Lawrence. Then the Wildcat onslaught began in the fourth.
Cole Hage started the inning with a base hit but was ultimately erased trying to steal second. It was the second time in four innings that the Wildcats had a runner thrown out on the base paths, although those two instances were the only ones in which Kentucky failed. The Wildcats stole six bases in the game, including three in the fourth.
Following a one-out walk, Eskew was relieved on the mound by Jackson Soucie, and boy did UK enjoy seeing the junior from Canada. The Wildcats recorded four base hits, including a three-run double from Tyler Bell to punctuate a five-run frame. Parker Marlatt entered to douse the flames, but the damage was done, as Kentucky enjoyed a 6-1 lead after four.
In spite of being without slugger Ethan Petry, who was injured in Saturday’s doubleheader, the Gamecocks cobbled together a comeback with a pair of runs in the sixth and eighth. Unfortunately for Carolina, that rally was sandwiched around an extremely sloppy bottom of the sixth inning.
The Gamecocks committed four errors in that frame, allowing Kentucky to plate an insurance run. One they wouldn’t actually need, as they also scored four times in the bottom of the eighth to finish off the 11-5 victory.
USC returns home Tuesday to host Charleston Southern at 6:30 p.m.