Justin Row's first walk-off hit at any level came at a pretty good time for South Carolina.
The Gamecocks maintained a 4-0 lead as late as the seventh inning, so an extra-innings win didn't figure to be necessary in Saturday's 6-5 victory over Alabama. After the Crimson Tide erased their early deficit and pulled ahead with two runs off of reliever Josh Reagan in the top of the ninth inning, South Carolina was more than willing to settle for a slightly less routine victory.
"We willed our way to this one," South Carolina head coach Chad Holbrook said. "Maybe we snatched victory from the jaws of defeat."
Center fielder TJ Hopkins singled on the first pitch he saw to open up the bottom of the first inning. Hopkins waisted no time stealing second, but the Gamecocks squandered an early scoring opportunity after they left the bases loaded.
South Carolina right-hander Wil Crowe employed a heavy fastball that kept Alabama from lifting the ball off the ground. Crowe retired the side on strikeouts in the top of the second, working all quadrants of the zone, forcing opposing hitters to chase when he was ahead in the count.
Crowe and Alabama left-hander Dylan Duarte appeared to be locked into a pitcher's duel before the Gamecocks plated three runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Chris Cullen's single up the middle to start South Carolina's half of the inning proved to be the catalyst of the rally. The Gamecocks benefited from an error by Alabama shortstop Chandler Avant, allowing Cullen to advance to second base. South Carolina manufactured two addiontal runs on a fielder's choice and a sac-fly.
Crowe induced weak contact for the majority of his start, but Alabama started to square the ball up as his pitch count climbed. Alabama right fielder Hunter Alexander broke up Crowe's bid for a shutout with a long RBI-single in the seventh, narrowly missing a home run. A double by left fielder Chandler Taylor signaled for an end to Crowe's day and Reagan inherited a pair of runners in scoring position.
A sac-fly trimmed the Gamecocks' lead to 4-2, but Reagan worked out of trouble by getting Alabama's Gene Wood to wave through three consecutive off-speed pitches.
Crowe's final line consisted of two earned runs in 6 1/3 innings with five strikeouts and two walks. He required 102 pitches.
Alabama added a run in the eighth and entered the top of the ninth behind 4-3. A home run by Taylor in the top of ninth inning erased South Carolina's longstanding lead. With runners on the corners and no outs, Avant bounced into a double play that pushed across a go-ahead run.
Third baseman Jonah Bride drew a walk to open up the bottom of the ninth and would advance to second on a wild pitch. Danny Blair was elected to pinch run for Bride, and two more wild pitches enabled Blair to score to force extra-innings.
Reagan would return to the mound despite his falters in the previous inning and worked a shutout 10th inning to preserve the tie.
"We just told him that it was his game," Crowe said. "I think we put him in that situation 100 times out of 100."
With the bases loaded and one down in the top of the ninth, Row came to the plate for the first time in more than two weeks.
"I was sitting off-speed early," Row said. "When it got to 2-0 I kind of figured with the bases loaded he was going to have to throw one in there and just saw it up."
Row slashed a single to left field alley, just out of the reach of Taylor.
"He was a lot closer than I thought he was going to get to that," Row said. "When he [Taylor] dove I was just making sure that he missed it. I turned around and just saw the joy on everyone's faces."
Survivors of Alabama's late rally, the Gamecocks preserved an opportunity to take a series win on Sunday. First pitch has been bumped up to 12:00 p.m. to accommodate fans who plan on also watching South Carolina's men's basketball team take on Florida in the Elite 8.
Right-hander Clarke Schmidt will return to the mound after missing his previous start.