Kentucky 9-South Carolina 5 Game Summary
Founders Park
- Kentucky scored five runs over the final two innings to rally from a 5-4 deficit and avoid a sweep in Columbia. The Gamecocks still walked away from Founders Park with their second SEC series win of the season, and their first at home.
- The Wildcats actually built a 4-0 lead through three innings as the Gamecocks did not have a baserunner against Connor Mattison the first time through the lineup. The Wildcats had a solo homer in the first, and they scored three runs in the third on a pair of singles.
- The Gamecocks started their rally in the fourth with a two-run homer by Ethan Lizama that made it a 4-2 game. They took the the lead in the bottom of the fifth after loading the bases with two outs. Talmadge LeCroy hit a liner into left that was dropped for a two-run error. Lizama then walked to reload the bases, and Dawson Harman then drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch to make it a 5-4 USC lead. KJ Scobey struck out leaving the bases loaded.
- The Gamecocks had baserunners in the sixth, seventh and eighth innnings but failed to add to their lead. Meantime, Gamecock relievers kept the Wildcats off the board again until the eighth. A hit by pitch, a sac bunt and a single tied the game at 5-5. Then with two outs, Braxton Van Cleave stole second. The throw from LeCroy went into the outfield, and the throw to third by Aaron Jamison was also wild. The two errors led to the go ahead run. Caeden Cloud then followed with a homer to left to make it 7-5 Kentucky.
- The Wildcats added insurance runs in the top of the ninth with a two run double, and the Gamecocks went down in order in the bottom of the ninth.
- The Gamecocks’ hot hitting cooled off on Sunday as they managed just six hits. They were 2-14 with runners on base, and 0-7 with runners in scoring position. After putting together five hits and four runs against Mattison, they had no runs and two hits against the bullpen.
- Alex Valentin started for the Gamecocks and was tagged for four runs and three hits in two innings. Parker Marlatt and Cooper Parks combined for 3.1 scoreless innings. Alex Philpott came on in the fifth and kept the Wildcats at bay until their scored their three runs in the eighth. He took the loss to fall to 0-4 on the season.
- The Gamecocks are 22-23 overall and 7-14 in the SEC. They will host The Citadel Tuesday night before a road trip to LSU next weekend.
