After a come-from-behind win the night before, South Carolina maintained an early lead in their 5-1 win over Missouri. The Gamecocks matched last season's win total by improving to 32-8.
The Gamecocks were opposed by one of the SEC's premier strikeout-pitchers in Missouri's Tanner Houck. Houck is regarded as one of the best prospects in the 2017 MLB Draft class, and through 70 1/3 innings the 6-foot-5 right-hander has fanned 75 batters this season. He delivers a fastball that registers in the mid-90s mph from a deceptive arm slot.
Houck flashed that big-time velocity in the first inning, but imperfect command allowed South Carolina to jump out to a 2-0 lead. Instead of trying to pull Houck's electric fastball, the Gamecocks were content with going the other way. All five of their first batters reached base and left fielder Alex Destino drove in a pair with a single to right field.
Right fielder Gene Cone's leadoff single in the first inning extended his hitting streak to 26 games this season. That total matches Whitt Merrifield for the highest streak in the program’s history. Merrifield reached the milestone over the course of the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
Coach Chad Holbrook praised the discipline that Cone has displayed in the batter's box during the streak: "His plate approach is so sound. He very rarely chases pitches out of the strike zone. When he gets ahead in the count, he makes the pitcher throw it to him in a tea cup."
Third baseman Jonah Bride turned in a three-hit performance and also scored on a passed ball to put South Carolina up 3-0 in the third inning.
Braden Webb was effectively wild in his start and improved to 8-2 on the season. Usually issuing six walks is a recipe for disaster, but Webb used his 12-6 curveball to generate ten strikeouts to work out of jams. The freshman has now eclipsed 10 strikeouts in four of his last five starts.
Missouri scored their lone run off of Webb in the fifth inning with an RBI-single by center fielder Jake Ring.
South Carolina added a pair of insurance runs when Destino singled in two more runs in the seventh inning. Closer Josh Regan had no trouble preserving the 5-1 lead and recorded seven outs to earn his 11th save of the season.
On already matching their win total from a disappointing 2015 season with plenty of time left in this season, Holbrook noted,"Once this year started I don't know if I've said a word about last year's team."
The Gamecocks will aim to sweep Missouri on Sunday with a win that would ensure them the top spot in the SEC East before they play Florida next weekend. The first pitch is slated for 1:30 p.m.