Finally! After South Carolina's thrilling 6-5 walk-off win over No. 1 LSU on Thursday night, baseball head coach Paul Maineri met with the media to recap the game, the struggles on the season, and the growth of the players. Here is everything he had to say:
Opening Statement
“Anytime you beat the number one team in the country, it’s special. I’ve said it before—these kids deserve something good to happen. Watching KJ Scobey, a true freshman who’s been in the lineup all year, continue to grow has been incredible. He’s really been swinging it well lately—had that big game-tying home run in the ninth and a huge sac fly earlier. He’s becoming the player I always believed he’d be.
And then Henry—what a night. Two triples, great defensive plays... I honestly thought one of those balls was leaving the park. Told him to hit the weight room after the presser! But seriously, he played a complete game. It was an electric night for the Gamecocks, for our players, our staff, and our fans. I’m just happy everyone got to enjoy a win like that.”
On the Emotions of the Win
“We’ve had our share of tough breaks—some of them self-inflicted. You get moments like that play by Jared Jones on Nate Hall’s ball and think, ‘Can we catch a break?’ Baseball’s a tough game. People don’t always realize how hard it is to win, even when guys are giving everything they’ve got.
But tonight, the fight was there. Scobey came through big, but so did a lot of guys. Crowther pitched his heart out. Brandon Stone gave up a couple hits on hung breaking balls, but in classic Brandon fashion, he joked, ‘At least they didn’t leave the park this time.’ What can you say to that?
It was a win for this team, this city, and everyone who’s supported us. A special night.”
On Giving Jase Woita the 3-0 Green Light
“Absolutely gave him the green light. We were getting into the bottom of the lineup and needed someone to make something happen. We’d had five free passes in the first two innings and only scored one run—you need someone to swing the bat. Jase nearly ended the game right there. He crushed that ball and got a lucky bounce for the triple. Huge moment.”
On Maineri's Calm Reaction to the Game-Winner
“When I was a younger coach, I’d be jumping out of my shoes. Now, I’ve learned to manage those emotions. I was thrilled, but I wanted the players to have that moment. I was just soaking it all in. It’s not about me—it’s about them.”
On Lineup Adjustments
“Without Petry, I didn’t want to stack lefties. I wanted Blake Jackson in the lineup—even though I don’t usually play him against lefties—so I shifted Henry to the three-hole and put a righty between him and Hall. I liked how it looked. Blake doesn’t get a ton of hits, but he draws walks, gets hit a lot—he finds ways on. Henry thrived in that spot. You just have to get creative and hope the pieces fall into place.”
Thoughts on Brandon Stone
“We weren’t saving Brandon for Tuesday. Ashton started because we hoped he could give us five or six innings, then let Brandon finish it out. But Ashton was absolutely drenched out there—he couldn’t grip the ball anymore. He hit his pitch limit, so we made the move. Even though we were down, it was early, and I thought if we could hold them, we had a shot.
Brandon gave us everything as always. And Becker came in and got a huge out late. Just a gutsy team win.”
On Ethan Petry's Status
"No chance."
Up Next
The South Carolina Gamecocks and LSU Tigers will continue the series tonight, Friday, May 16, at Founders Park in Columbia, SC. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, and the game will be streamed live on SECF Network+. Prior to the first pitch, South Carolina will honor its seniors in a special pregame ceremony. Ten seniors along with eight senior staff members will be recognized.
With one of South Carolina's most thrilling wins of the season, the Gamecocks proved that there is still some fight left in the team. As head coach Paul Mainieri said, it was more than just a win, it was a moment of validation for a team that has tried to keep showing up, even when the breaks didn't go their way.