USC avoided a sweep with a solid win on Sunday
After having a rough go in the first two games of this series, South Carolina ended it on a high note with a 9-4 victory over Texas A&M.
The game was scoreless until the fourth inning, when the Gamecocks got on the board. Josiah Sightler started things off with a solo shot to make the score 1-0, then Andrew Eyster reached on an error, Braylen Wimmer walked, and Talmadge LeCroy singled to load the bases. With one out, Colin Burgess came through with a grand slam to put USC up 5-0. The Cocks added two more runs in the next inning on back-to-back homers from Eyster and Wimmer that made it a 7-0 game. The Aggies ended the shutout in the bottom of the inning courtesy of a Kole Kaler double that made the score 7-1.
Texas A&M tacked on three more runs in the seventh on a homer by Kaler that bumped the score to 7-4. Those were the last runs of the game for the Aggies, while Carolina scored the final runs of the game in the eighth, when Brandt Belk singled with two outs and Kevin Madden went yard.
Gamecocks starter Will Sanders worked six innings and allowed six hits and four runs. He walked three batters, struck three out, and earned the win, making him 7-2. Matthew Becker and Cade Austin also pitched in this game. Aggies starter Ryan Prager went three innings and gave up three hits and one run. He walked walked two batters, struck out two, and took the loss, making him 1-2. Sightler and LeCroy led South Carolina at the plate with three hits each, while Burgess tallied four RBI. Jack Moss paced Texas A&M with three hits as well, while Kaler also recorded four RBI.
The Cocks are now 24-22 overall and 10-14 in conference play, while the Aggies are 30-16 overall and 14-10 in conference play. USC will be back in action on Tuesday, when they host USC Upstate. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Founders Park.