It was the Jack Mahoney and Braylen Wimmer show in the early goings on Saturday as South Carolina baseball took on the NC State Wolfpack with a spot in the regional final on the line. Because of the format of postseason play, the Gamecocks were technically the road team despite being the regional host.
After NC State tallied five runs against Campbell in their opening game in the Columbia regional, Jack Mahoney stifled the Wolfpack bats for five scoreless frames before giving up three runs in the 6th. Wimmer saved a hit with a sprawling catch behind shortstop and knocked a two-run dinger over the left field wall despite a substantial inward-blowing breeze.
The Carolina offense seems to have been revived from their month-long slump after scoring 19 runs against Central Connecticut State on Friday. Just as the Gamecocks did most of their damage through walks in a big 4th inning against the Blue Devils, one inning on Saturday (the 5th) saw the host team score the majority of their runs, and walks were a major theme once again.
Wimmer’s 2-run home run came in the 3rd inning, but there was no other scoring from either team until the top of the 5th.
In the 5th, NC State pitchers Matt Willadsen and Carson Kelly combined for four straight walks followed by two straight singles. Carolina plated four runs in the inning to extend their lead to 6-0 before the Wolfpack finally got on the board with their 3-run 6th.
After a controversial replay call erased a South Carolina run in the 7th, NC State threatened in the bottom half of the inning, but Eli Jones induced a 6-4-3 double play to get out of the jam.
Jones pitched a scoreless 8th and got an out in the 9th but exited with runners on first and second. Chris Veach took the mound and cooly sat down the final two ‘Pack batters via a weak groundout and a lineout to center for the save. The Gamecocks came out on top 6-3.
Because of the loss, NC State will take on Campbell in an elimination game at noon on Sunday. At 6:00 on Sunday (pending the end time of the first game), South Carolina baseball will face off with the winner of the elimination game. If the Gamecocks win, they advance to the super regional. If Carolina cannot close things out, a winner-take-all game will be played on Monday.
A complete bracket for the Columbia regional can be found here.
With Eli Jones having pitched against the Wolfpack, it is unclear who will start the Sunday game for South Carolina baseball with a super regional spot on the line. Matthew Becker is available and rested, and the same can be said of Cade Austin. Will Sanders could be available for light duty having pitched just one inning on Friday.