Gamecock Baseball: 5 Keys to Victory vs. Maryland

The Gamecocks passed their first test of the tournament last night with a win over Campbell. Tonight, South Carolina looks to seize control of the regional against a very confident Maryland squad. Here are five keys to victory for the Gamecocks:

1. Win for Wynkoop

Jack Wynkoop would certainly love to get the early run support that Jordan Montgomery received last night. The Gamecocks plated three runs in the first inning and took the wind out of Campbell’s sails. Against a Terrapin team that believes it can score the upset, a big start would greatly help South Carolina’s chances.

2. Get Greiner going

Grayson Greiner has been in a bit of a funk since the season-ending series against Vanderbilt. Last night against the Camels, Greiner went 0-for-4. South Carolina will definitely need his offensive production down the line and tonight would be as good a time as any to get his bat warmed up again.

3. Flawless fielding

A Joey Pankake error last night briefly gave Campbell life before Jordan Montgomery ended the threat. The Terrapins are aggressive on the bases and the Gamecocks can’t afford to give Maryland base runners. If the defense is steady behind Wynkoop, South Carolina should be in good shape.

4. Deafening decibels 

Maryland third baseman Jose Cuas rankled some Gamecock fans yesterday when he compared the atmosphere at Carolina Stadium to the atmosphere at the ACC Tournament. Couple that with Terrapin head coach John Szefc’s repeated mentions of ending South Carolina’s postseason home winning streak and Gamecock fans should have plenty of reasons to get rowdy tonight.

5. Streak, what streak?

After beating Campbell last night, Chad Holbrook insisted that his team isn’t focusing on preserving a 28-game postseason winning streak at home. Whether that’s true or not, the Gamecocks can’t get caught up in history. Holbrook said he felt his team was a little tight last night and hopes they’ll be more relaxed with a game under their belts.