USC used an inning full of homers to get another midweek win
No. 3 South Carolina’s offense woke up late against Winthrop on Wednesday night to secure a 6-1 midweek victory.
The Gamecocks got on the board first, taking a 1-0 lead in the second when Cole Messina homered to start the inning. The Eagles tied things up in the fifth, making it 1-1 on a single by Ramses Cordova.
USC regained the lead for good in the seventh. Jonathan French led things off with a home run to make the score 2-1, Will Tippett pushed it to 3-1 with a one-out solo shot. Michael Braswell knocked a base with two outs, then Ethen Petry went yard to put the Cocks up 5-1. The final run of the game came in the eighth, after Caleb Denny singled to start things off and later came home on a base hit by Dylan Brewer.
Carolina starter Eli Jones pitched one inning and didn’t allow any hits or runs. He also didn’t walk anybatters and struck one out. Eli Jerzembeck, Dylan Eskew, Nick Proctor, Austin Williamson, and Cade Austin combined to go the rest of the way for the Gamecocks. Proctor got the win, making him 4-0. Winthrop starter Alex Logusch worked two innings and gave up one hit and one run. He also issued three walks and struck out three batters. Reliever Josh Bookbinder took the loss and is now 5-1.
Braswell paced USC at the plate with two hits, while Petry recorded two RBI. Joseph Szvetitz and Will Martin had two hits apiece for the Eagles, while Cordova tallied the only RBI.
The Cocks are now 36-8 overall, while Winthrop is 21-22 on the season. South Carolina will be back in action on Friday, when they open up a series on the road against Kentucky. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.