Peyton's takes from South Carolina's dominant midweek win
The Gamecocks cruised past East Tennessee state for a confidence building 15-2 win in their second to last midweek game of the season. South Carolina showed up and showed out as a strong and well-rounded team against the Buccaneers.
Here are my takes from an explosive win over ETSU.
South Carolina is heating up as it approaches postseason
With 14 hits on the night, the South Carolina bats are heating up. The Gamecocks were aggressive at the plate as well, swinging at many first pitches.
In the first inning, down by two runs, Ethan Petry sent one deep over the Carolina bullpen on the first pitch for a two-run home run. However, Petry wasn’t the only Gamecock able to make good contact.
Other players went yard including Cole Messina, Kennedy Jones and Dalton Reeves in the win. In the fourth, the Gamecocks scored eight runs helping them run away with the lead.
In addition to 14 hits, the Gamecocks ended the night with 13 RBIs and just six strikeouts.
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Jake McCoy has a bright future
As a freshman left-handed pitcher, McCoy started on the mound for the Gamecocks and showed his skillset. Throughout two innings, McCoy struck out two and walked two, only allowing two runs off of two hits.
Head coach Mark Kingston later took the blame for McCoy’s two earned runs, as he was facing a player batting over .500 against lefties. McCoy handled his outing with poise and kept his composure on the mound.
As McCoy continues to grow and learn, he could evolve into a weekend starter for South Carolina as a lefty throwing 96-plus MPH. In the end, McCoy ended up being credited with the win on the night, his first of the season.
Fielding was strong. What does this mean when Will Tippett returns?
Despite recent changes and the temporary loss of shortstop Will Tippett, the new-look Gamecock defense has excelled. The addition of Petry and Gavin Casas to the corner infield spots has paid off for the Gamecocks, and Kingston trusts the two with their defense.
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“I’m confident with them out there,” Kingston said. “I know Gavin made the error on that hopper today but I thought he made the right decision on the play just didn’t make the play. I feel good with them out there, I think they are getting more confident the more they play.”
With a strong and fresh infield, the question remains, does Tippett return to the lineup once he is healthy again? Talmadge LeCroy has assumed his role for the time being and has been able to make plays as well as hit well. LeCroy went 1-for-3 last night, bringing home one run off a single to left field. Time will tell. But good things are happening for South Carolina right now.
