Caleb Denny makes most of opportunity against Auburn
Over the course of a very long baseball season, there has to come a time when guys who aren’t in the everyday lineup have to step up. South Carolina is in that stretch right now.
With a bevy of injuries to position players, the Gamecocks are in search of guys who can step up and play meaningful roles as guys work back to healthy.
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They saw a glimpse of that over the weekend against Auburn with Caleb Denny and Will Tippett.
“It happened to Dylan Brewer and happened to other guys like Michael Braswell,” Mark Kingston said. “They were playing, had to sit for a while and when they got another opportunity they took advantage of it. Maybe Denny’s the next guy.”
Denny–a transfer from Oral Roberts–was brought in to be a key cog in the Gamecocks’ everyday lineup but struggled over the middle part of the season.
Entering that Auburn series Denny had five hits in 36 SEC at-bats with a paltry slash line of just .139/.244/.167 with 18 strikeouts.
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With guys hurt, he got an opportunity. And he finished the weekend with seven hits in nine at-bats with two doubles. Denny walked twice, struck out once and drove in a pair.
“It was huge for my confidence. My swing feels really good,” Denny said. “Also, I have a lot of luck on my side right now, apparently. But my swing feels really good right now.”
Denny came to South Carolina from Oral Roberts and almost penciled into the everyday lineup.
But that doldrum in the middle put him on the bench and watching as the Gamecocks got off to such a historic start.
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He had to bide his time and work, waiting for his opportunity. He got it in a series loss to Auburn. But he’s hoping this is something that’s replicable over the course of the final three weeks of the regular season and into the postseason.
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“The last two weeks I’ve put a different perspective on it. I’ve always been a team but it’s tough to do when you’re sitting on the bench,” Denny said. “You really want to get in but have to accept the position you’re in. My swing’s felt really good for about a week. I was ready to get that opportunity. Whenever I did I knew I was going to be ready.”
South Carolina is going to need him and Tippett–who hit the go-ahead three-run homer in Sunday’s win–to continue to help this team as guys work back to full strength.
If Denny does continue to swing the bat well, it gives the Gamecocks another veteran piece in the lineup from the left side.
They’ll need all of that starting Wednesday night at Winthrop and more heading into a tough road series at Kentucky.
“That’s another guy who’s been a little up and down this year,” Kingston said. “It’s great to see how a good attitude can get rewarded the way it has with him having such a good weekend.”
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Game details
Who: No. 3 South Carolina (35-8) at Winthrop (21-21)
When: Wednesday, May 3
Game time (ET): 6 p.m.
How to watch/listen: ESPN Plus (107.5 FM/Gamecock Radio Network)
Starting pitchers: Eli Jones (4-2, 3.06 ERA) vs. RHP Alex Logusch (1-2, 6.33 ERA)
