Gamecocks fourth in SEC despite stranding 111 runners in 12 games
With Friday’s 5-4 loss to Tennessee, the Gamecocks had not won a one-run game in the SEC, having lost four one-run conference games.
Saturday, despite stranding 17 runners, the Gamecocks took a step forward as a team, as they won their first one-run SEC game, 2-1, after a walk-off double by third baseman LB Dantzler to centerfield.
With the series tied, the momentum from victory carried to Sunday’s game, as the offense got going in the 6-1 win to put USC back in the hunt in the conference with the second straight series win.
“The guys did feel much better, even though we stranded 17 runners,” said USC coach Ray Tanner. “It was a little bit more comfortable today. There wasn’t quite as much anxiety and tension. I don’t think guys pressed as much ... I think our approach was a lot better because we did win yesterday.”
After having bases loaded with no outs and not plating anyone in Saturday’s game, the Gamecocks had the bases loaded with one out in the fifth on Sunday. Left fielder Tanner English walked to bring in the first run of the game, then a sacrifice fly to center by junior Evan Marzilli plated another run.
Senior right fielder Adam Matthews, who struck out at his last two plate appearances on Saturday, had a squeeze bunt single with two outs to make the score 3-0. First baseman Christian Walker brought the last run of the inning home with a single.
“We took a couple of good hacks in that inning,” Tanner said. “We also had a couple of walks that helped us score some runs. Sometimes you get upset with your hitters and then you realize that you’re facing pitchers in the SEC, which are pretty good pitches.”
The Gamecocks added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth to equal the amount of runs they scored in the first two games of the series. On Saturday, the Gamecocks were aided by a sterling eight-inning SEC debut by freshman Jordan Montgomery, who solidified himself as the No. 2 weekend starter. Sunday, it was pitcher Colby Holmes who pitched seven innings and allowed just four hits, an earned run and struck out seven.
“As excited as I was yesterday about Jordan Montgomery, I was equally happy today for Colby,” Tanner said. “Colby is a fighter — he’ll battle for you. There’s been a lot of situations where he’s gone 4 1/3 or 5 1/3, and sometimes we go get him because we’ve got guys in the bullpen that we have a lot of confidence in and it’s not so much that we feel like he’s done, but today he seemed a lot more comfortable ... That was important for us. We did have a couple of guys in the bullpen, but it was nice to see Colby stretch it out a little bit.”
With pitching and momentum pushing the Gamecocks to a series win, South Carolina finds itself fourth in the SEC after starting 1-5 in the conference. Before the game, Tennessee coach Dave Serrano told Tanner that a 15-15 or 16-14 SEC record could win the conference, to which Tanner replied, “It has happened before.”
Though the Gamecocks are temporarily in the hunt, the offense is still not where Tanner wants it, but he’s optimistic it will get better as the season progresses. Through 12 SEC games, the Gamecocks have stranded 111 runners, as compared to 99 last season, but USC had also won four of their five one-run games by this point in the season.
“Obviously, it’s something we’ve been working on, and we’re happy it’s finally come through,” Matthews said. “It’s frustrating at times, but this game can be humbling and frustrating. We just have to keep battling. We got them over and it was a relief, and hopefully, we can just continue that throughout this week and just throughout the rest of the season.”