It wasn’t always comfortable, as both South Carolina and USC Upstate lit up the scoreboard before the Gamecocks bullpen settled in to nail down a 14-8 victory at Fluor Field in Greenville, Tuesday.
It looked as if USC may run away and hide after the Gamecocks pulled ahead 12-2 following a nine-run fourth. But the Spartans made it interesting, striking back with six runs in the sixth to close the gap to 12-8.
Mark Kingston called upon righthander Chris Veach, who responded with 2.2 scoreless innings to halt the threat. Garrett Gainey followed with a perfect ninth, fanning two of three batters he faced, to seal the victory. Tyler Pitzer (2.0 IP, 0 ER) picked up his third win.
Cole Messina found the sight lines and Spartans pitching to his liking, driving in two runs on three doubles and a homer. Ethan Petry also went deep, a line shot off the batter’s eye in center field as part of the Gamecocks’ nine-run fourth. Messina and Petry are tied for the team lead with eight home runs.
Blake Jackson homered and tripled in addition to making another sensational outfield catch. Jackson followed up his diving catch near the left field line in Sunday’s win at Ole Miss with a sliding catch in short right-center, Tuesday. Jackson’s two-run homer in the eighth served as insurance, extending the lead to 14-8 and effectively putting the game on ice. USC drew 13 walks and scored in double figures for the ninth time this season.
South Carolina (16-5, 1-2) returns to conference action this weekend against third-ranked Vanderbilt. The Gamecocks and Commodores will start their three-game set from Founders Park, where USC has won 13 of 14 this season, at 7 p.m., Friday.
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