USC is back above .500 … at least for now
South Carolina pulled off a series victory on Saturday with a close 9-8 win over Ole Miss.
The Gamecocks got on the board first, taking a 1-0 lead in the second when Andrew Eyster singled to start things off and later scored on a groundout by Michael Braswell. USC added two more runs in the fourth. Josiah Sightler led off with a double, Eyster followed with a base hit, then Talmadge LeCroy doubled to bring Sightler in and make it 2-0. Braswell was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out, then Carson Hornung walked too to force in another run and put the Cocks on top 3-0.
The Rebels ended the shutout in the next inning, making it 3-1 courtesy of a Hayden Leatherwood triple. They tacked on another run in the sixth inning, making the score 3-2 on a solo shot from Jacob Gonzalez. Carolina added a couple of insurance runs in the bottom of the inning. Colin Burgess knocked a base hit with one out, then Hornung went yard with two outs to make the score 5-2. Ole Miss pulled back within one in the seventh, though, making it a 5-4 game on a two-run single by Calvin Harris.
The Gamecocks expanded their lead again in the bottom of the eighth. Evan Stone walked with one out and stole second, then Braylen Wimmer homered with two outs to make it 7-4. Sightler followed with a dinger of his own, bumping the score to 8-4. Things got tense in the top of the ninth, when the Rebels scored four runs, tying the game thanks to base hits from Justin Bench and Gonzalez and a Kemp Alderman double. South Carolina responded by walking it off in the bottom of the inning, when LeCroy walked to start things off and later scored on a flyout by Jalen Vasquez.
Cocks starter Will Sanders worked 6.1 innings and allowed seven hits and four runs. He walked one batter and struck out four. Matthew Becker and Cade Austin also pitched in this game, and Austin got the win, making him 2-1. Ole Miss reliever Drew McDaniel took the loss and is now 3-1. Hornung led USC at the plate with three hits and three RBI. Four different Rebels tallied two hits each, while three recorded two RBI a piece.
The Gamecocks are now 18-17 overall and 6-9 in conference play, while Ole Miss is 21-14 overall and 5-10 in the SEC. Carolina will be back in action on Wednesday, when they travel to play Winthrop. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.