HOOVER, AL: What will go down in the record books as the worst baseball season in the history of the University of South Carolina ended appropriately enough Tuesday night in Hoover, AL with an 11-3 beat down by Florida in the first day of the SEC Tournament.
The Gamecocks closed out a season of worsts with a 28-29 overall record. That included 25 losses in 31 SEC games.
The 29 losses are the most in program history. The 25 SEC losses are the most in program history. The 12 home losses are the most in program history. The pitching staff’s ERA of 6.41 is the worst in program history. And there are other statistical examples of just how bad this team performed.
Tuesday’s loss was symbolic of the overall woes of the season. Two infield popups were misplayed for errors. The bases were loaded in the top of the first but the Gamecocks could score only one run. They left ten runners on base, They did not hit a home run while allowing three. They didn’t steal a base.
The Gamecocks did have 11 hits but they were 3-16 with runners on base and 1-8 with runners in scoring position.
The Gamecocks took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first loading the bases with no one out. Jace Woita then grounded to the shortstop for a double play. One run scored but that would be all the Gamecocks would get until scoring two runs in the eighth on a RBI double by KJ Scobey and a RBI double by Jordan Carrion.
The Gamecocks went down in order in the second but had base runners in every inning the rest of the way. As was the case all season, the big hit eluded them.
Not the case for Florida as the Gators used the long ball to help build an insurmountable lead. A three-run homer in the second by Bobby Boser put the Gators on top 3-1. A solo shot in the third by Brody Donay made it 4-1.
Florida led 6-1 in the fifth when Hayden Yost hit the Gators’ third home run of the night for a 7-1 lead. In the four wins over the Gamecocks this season the Gators hit a total of 12 home runs.
After the Gamecocks scored their two runs in the top of the eighth to cut the lead to 7-3, the Gators responded with four runs for the final 11-3 count.
Brandon Stone (2-7) started and took the loss. He allowed six hits and five runs over three innings. Seven relievers followed him to the mound.
First year coach Paul Mainieir said after the game he has the full support of the administration, recruiting is going very well and he plans no staff changes for next season. This was his first losing season as a head coach since 1992.