USC remains undefeated in Greenville this year
South Carolina racked up another midweek win over an in-state opponent, trouncing USC Upstate 17-1 in Greenville on Wednesday night.
The Gamecocks wasted no time jumping out to a big lead, putting up seven runs in the second inning. With one out, Talmadge LeCroy got hit by a pitch, Will McGillis walked, and Carson Hornung brought them both home with a double to make it 2-0. Caleb Denny then got hit by a pitch with two outs, Braylen Wimmer walked to load the bases, and a double from Gavin Casas cleared them, making it a 5-0 game. Cole Messina singled after that, then an Ethan Petry double brought in Casas and Messina to bump the score to 7-0.
USC almost doubled its run total in the next inning. Hornung knocked a base hit with one out, then Dylan Brewer went yard to put the Cocks up 9-0. Denny then walked, Wimmer reached on a fielder’s choice, and Casas doubled again to score them both, making it 11-0. A double from Messina brought Casas in to push the score to 12-0, and Messina later came home on a wild pitch, giving Carolina a 13-0 lead. The Spartans’ only run of the game came in the bottom of the inning, courtesy of a solo shot by Troy Hamilton that made it a 13-1 game.
The Gamecocks added another run in the fourth, when Brewer started things off with a single and later scored on a fly out by Wimmer, making the score 14-1. In the sixth inning, Denny walked to lead off, then Wimmer homered to bump the score to 16-1. South Carolina tacked on yet another run in the eighth, when Jonathan French walked and later scored on a two-out single from Will Tippett to make it 17-1. In the ninth inning, Michael Braswell knocked a base hit with two outs, and Jonathan French and Messina both walked to load the bases. Petry and Kevin Madden then walked too, forcing in the final two runs of the game for the Cocks.
USC starter Matthew Becker went 3.2 innings and allowed four hits and one run. He also walked three batters and struck out four. Nick Proctor, Austin Williamson, Jackson Phipps, Wesley Sweatt, Sam Simpson, and Brett Thomas also pitched in this game, and Proctor got the win, making him 1-0. Upstate starter Mathieu Curtis worked 2.1 innings and gave up eight hits and 12 runs. He also walked three batters, struck two out, and took the loss, making him 2-1.
Messina paced the Gamecocks at the plate with four hits, while Casas tallied five RBI. Hamilton and Noah Sullivan each had two hits for the Spartans, and Hamilton recorded their only RBI.
Carolina improves to 13-1 overall, while Upstate is now 7-7. The Cocks will be back in action on Friday, when they open up a series against Bethune-Cookman. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. at Founders Park.