No. 16 South Carolina’s offense peaked early and allowed its pitching to carry the team to a 5-0 victory over Presbyterian, improving its record to 17-1 overall.
The Gamecocks' offense jumped out to an early start, scoring three runs in the second inning.
Sophomore catcher Talmadge LeCroy hit a two-run home run, scoring freshman infielder Ethan Petry. Fifth-year infielder Will McGillis hit a single, scoring Petry, and made it to third off after a stolen base and advancing on a wild pitch.
In the third inning, the Gamecocks added two early insurance runs off of solo home runs from junior first basemen Gavin Casas and sophomore catcher Cole Messina.
“We have some guys that are super super hot, and we got some guys that are (just) hot,” Petry said. “Gavin is just unreal."
It was smooth sailing from there for the Gamecocks as the team rode its pitching to victory. Sophomore pitcher Matthew Becker got the start for the Gamecocks, pitching 2.2 innings, giving up no runs and striking out four.
A one-out appearance from fifth-year pitcher Nick Proctor set up sophomore pitcher Eli Jones to pitch four shutout innings with six strikeouts.
“I like to think of it one inning at a time,” Jones said. “You try and go out there and compete the best you can, give them your best stuff, whatever that best stuff is every day, and this year I’ve had the ability to get more length.”
Redshirt sophomore pitcher Cade Austin closed out the game in the ninth, giving up two hits and striking out three.
With this win, the Gamecocks go into SEC play with only one loss against Clemson at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on March 3.
“For the record we have right now going into SEC play, (it’s) hard to ask for more than what we have right now,” head coach Mark Kingston said. “There’s still some areas where we need to get better and we need to improve. We’re not perfect by any means.”
The Gamecocks will continue its season on March 17 against the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens, Georgia. The game will be available to stream on SECN+.