South Carolina capitalized on Mississippi State’s constant errors to defeat and sweep the Bulldogs 5-4. This is the first time since 2003 that the Gamecocks have swept three SEC series.
The Gamecocks took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a Bulldog fielding error, one of five on the day. This would ultimately add to the lead in the fourth for South Carolina. The Bulldogs stormed back in the fifth to tie the game, but the Gamecocks capitalized on yet another error by the Bulldogs to take the lead for good in the sixth.
Head coach Beverly Smith believed that one of her team's advantages over the Bulldogs was being able to capitalize on their mistakes.
“Base running is something we spend a lot of time on in practice,” Smith said. “We’re not necessarily fast, but I consider us an aggressive base-running team.”
The Gamecocks have supported each other consistently throughout the season and that especially showed on senior day after they gave up three runs in the top of the fifth, which tied the game.
“I sort of felt it ... my teammates always have my back,” Kelsey Oh said. “Coming back like that is just amazing. Our answer-backs this year have been awesome.”
After this sweep from South Carolina, they are now in a prime to position to finish in the top four in the SEC to get a bye in the first round of the SEC tournament with their third sweep of an SEC series this year.
“I'm super proud of that," Smith said. “In this league, to sweep, it is so difficult, and the fact that we have three this year, I think is a feather in our cap for this team, but it is hard to do and I am really proud of this team.”
The Gamecocks have been set all season on hosting a regional and they believe that they have done just that.
“It'll mean the world to us,” Kenzi Maguire said. “That’s our dream. That was our goal at the beginning of the season. For that to come true, it would be awesome."
South Carolina's regular season concludes Wednesday with a game against Charleston Southern starting at 6 p.m. before they finish the season with a trip to Lexington to take on Kentucky.