Ethan Petry rounding into form again before heading back to home state
Ethan Petry probably has too many text messages and phone calls to count at this point. The South Carolina right fielder–and Florida native–is being bombarded by friends and family for tickets this weekend, a chance for them to see if he and the Gamecocks can get back to the College World Series.
And if they do, Petry will be a big reason why that happens.
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“Talent and work ethic are his keys. He’s a very talented kid who works hard. He does keep an even keel as well,” Mark Kingston said. “He has no ego. He’s just a kid who loves to play and loves competing. That’s his secret. He’s talented, works hard and has great makeup.”
One month ago, it looked like Petry was going to have an other-worldly season for the Gamecock. He had already broken the freshman home run and RBI records and was on pace to add a few more to his name as well.
But, like it does with most freshmen, adversity hit.
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The freshman hitting well over .300 struggled while flirting with an average under the Mendoza line over the next three weeks as South Carolina scuffled to end SEC play.
But, after class ended and Petry got home for the regular season finale, things have started to click. He barrelled a few balls up at Arkansas that would find gloves or be just foul, but the numbers are getting more Petry-esque as South Carolina heads into a Super Regional.
Over his last 11 games (36 at-bats), Petry is hitting .361/.510/583 with two homers, 10 runs scored, seven RBI and just as many walks as strikeouts (10). His batting average on balls in play (BABIP) is a whopping .440.
“I’m just feeling confident and better about myself knowing the team has my back and enjoying the game every day. It’s a long season and I’m going to face some hardships. I have to realize I’m going to have those and bounce back. Everyone does that. It’s baseball.”
And it’s no secret that as he’s come along the Gamecocks have as well. They’re 5-6 in those games but swept a regional with Petry going 4-for-12 with three runs and three RBI in those games.
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Getting into the summer–when all he has to do is focus on baseball–has certainly help. And having that last week to rest after the SEC Tournament not only helped him but the entire Gamecocks’ offense.
“Sometimes freshmen can hit that wall. They’re used ot playing 20-plus games in high school. Not only do we play 56 regular season games, but the intensity in the SEC is like playing 100. Sometimes a freshman can hit a wall,” Kingston said.
“That may have happened to him. But as we get into the postseason, we’re not having to go to class and not having to do a lot of things other than focus on baseball. I think he’s getting his second wind.”
Now he has to go back to his home state and play in Gainesville, just under two hours from where he grew up in Land O’ Lakes.
He and the rest of this South Carolina offense will face three first-round level arms in Brandon Sproat, Hurston Waldrep and Jac Caglianone but are also ready for a new fight in a Super.
“This is a new season. We’ve been preaching all week,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if we swept them two months ago. It’s a new season. They’re going to come out hungrier than ever. We will too. I’m really excited for this series.”
