South Carolina Baseball: Gamecocks blow out Blue Devils, will face Wolfpack Saturday
By Kevin Miller
To call what transpired at Founders Park Friday night “ugly” would have been an insult to ugly things everywhere. Thankfully for South Carolina baseball fans, their team was on the good side of an outrageously lopsided contest.
The Blue Devils of Central Connecticut were overmatched but also had nothing go their way the entire night. This was illustrated by their two errors (plus two more “hits” that should have been ruled as errors and another botched double play), multiple passed balls and wild pitches, and an astonishing 15 free passes (12 walks and 3 hit-by-pitches).
James Hicks started on the mound for the Gamecocks and was absolutely brilliant. The converted reliever struck out six batters in five innings of 1-hit baseball. He would have likely pitched deeper into the game, but the Carolina offense was on the field too long for Hicks to keep being run back out there.
Before Hicks left the game, however, South Carolina baseball touched home plate 19 times (including scoring 11 runs in the 4th inning alone) on 15 hits and 12 walks. It’s actually a wonder that the Gamecocks didn’t put up even more runs on the Blue Devil pitching staff.
Will Sanders returned to game action and pitched a perfect frame in the 6th with two vintage Will Sanders strikeouts. He was not the only injured Gamecock to return to action, however, as Cole Messina (concussion) and Will McGillis (broken arm) started at catcher and DH, respectively. Messina had a double and a couple of RBIs, and McGillis had two hits, including a home run.
Carolina’s offense was really sharp on Friday night and feasted on the many opportunities granted to them by CCSU pitching. Will McGillis and Ethan Petry each homered, and every starter reached base at least twice and scored at least one run.
Jimmy Sullivan had two Blue Devil hits (a single and a triple) and scored Central Connecticut State’s only run on an Austin Williamson wild pitch.
Williamson came on in relief of Sanders to start the 7th and went two innings in a somewhat shaky performance. The freshman ended up limiting the damage to just one run on three hits, and Connor McCreery went on to finish off the 19-1 beatdown with a scoreless 9th. South Carolina baseball picked up their 40th win on the season and is officially in the regional winners’ bracket.
Earlier in the day, NC State knocked off the Campbell Camels to advance into the winners’ bracket, as well. Now, the Wolfpack and Gamecocks will play at 6:00 on Saturday night. It is not yet known who will take the mound for South Carolina baseball, but it will almost assuredly be either Jack Mahoney or Eli Jones.
The loser of the Carolina and NC State matchup will play against the winner of Campbell and CCSU (that game will be played at 12:00 on Saturday), but the winner will advance to the regional finals. The regional bracket can be seen here.