USC 10-Kentucky 9 Game Summary
Founders Park
- South Carolina had leads of 5-1, 8-5, and 9-6, and survived a ninth inning rally in beating the Wildcats, and with the win, the Gamecocks tied LSU for 14th in the SEC standings at 6-13. The Gamecocks also matched their number of SEC wins from last season.
- The Gamecocks built a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the first on the strength of an Ethan Lizama grand slam.
- Kentucky came back with four in the second, and Amp Phillips was replaced by Cooper Parks.
- USC regained the led for good in the third on a two run homer by KJ Scobey.
- Solo homers by Dawson Harman in the fifth and seventh innings made it a 9-6 Gamecock lead.
- Both teams scored runs in the eighth, and the Gamecocks took a 10-7 lead to the ninth.
- A pair of leadoff walks allowed by Alex Philpott brought the tying run to the plate and Alex Valentin from the pen. Valentin gave up an RBI double, and then hit a batter. to bring the go-ahead run to the plate with runners on the corners and no one out.
- Parker Marlatt was summoned. He induced a pop-up to short, followed by a fielder’s choice to third that allowed a run to score for a 10-9 game.
- Now with two outs, Marlatt got a ground ball to to second, but Logan Sutter ventured too far from the bag, and after rushing back, he failed to get his foot down on the proper bag ahead of the runner for an error.
- Now with the tying run on third and the go ahead run on first, Marlatt got a fly ball to left center to end the game and earn his first save of the season.
- Parks (4-1) earned the win with his critical middle relief. He went 3.1 scoreless innings and gave up one hit while string out three.
- The Gamecocks had one of their best games getting runners home from third with less than two outs, going 5-8. They also kept the Wildcats from running. Kentucky had stolen 100 bases coming in, but managed none in this game.
- USC is 21-22 overall and 6-13 in the SEC. Kentuck is 26-14 and 8-11. Game two will be Saturday afternoon at 1:00 PM.
