For the first time since 2014, Gamecock baseball is 11-0 after defeating The Citadel 11-7 on Wednesday night, rallying for six runs on five hits in the eighth inning.
A slow start defensively for the Gamecocks allowed The Citadel to pull ahead early in the first inning with two runs on three base hits.
Junior left-handed pitcher Josiah Sightler started out on the bump for the Gamecocks but struggled early on, allowing four hits and two runs with two errors. The bullpen continued to battle its way through the game, striking out six batters and allowing 13 hits.
The Gamecocks were able to capitalize in the third inning to take the lead with four runs on two hits. A fielding error by the Bulldogs allowed junior catcher Wes Clarke to reach first base, scoring graduate transfer second baseman Joe Satterfield for the first of four unearned runs.
A sacrifice fly from junior right fielder Brady Allen allowed Satterfield to score again at the top of the fourth, bringing the Gamecocks up 5-3, but the Bulldogs regained the lead in the sixth after a two-run homer from sophomore outfielder Cole Simpson.
South Carolina went three hitless innings before going into the top of the eighth, where Satterfield scored on an Allen single to start the scoring outburst for the Gamecocks.
A double for sophomore centerfielder Braylen Wimmer gave the Gamecocks the lead, while an intentionally walked Clarke loaded the bases up for another two runs on a Sightler single.
Another double for senior left fielder Andrew Eyster brought in another two runs for the Gamecocks, putting them up 11-6.
Redshirt junior right-hander Andrew Peters had a solid performance on the mound as a relief pitcher, striking out five batters in the last two innings and only allowing one run and one walk.
Satterfield had a productive game in his fifth start of the season, finishing with a .438 batting average that leads the team and eight RBIs on the season.
Allen also had another good game as the leadoff batter, reaching base four times on three walks and a single with two RBIs, bringing in two runs for the Gamecocks.
“It’s a good team right now, and we’re winning games,” head coach Mark Kingston said postgame. “We still have things we need to improve, and we will, but, you know, focusing on today, this was a good win for us.”
The undefeated Gamecocks take on the No.19 Texas Longhorns in the team's first true road series this weekend in Austin, Texas. The first pitch for game one of the series is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CDT Friday night. All three games will be broadcast on the Longhorn Network.