South Carolina 'pretty close' to lineup consistency entering Missouri series
Mark Kingston is one to tinker and shift the Gamecocks’ lineup around from game to game over the course of a series or game to game.
But as South Carolina enters its second weekend of league play with 20 wins to just two losses, Kingston feels like the Gamecocks are getting closer to their nearly everyday lineup.
[Subscribe to Gamecock Central until Aug. 31 for only $29.99!]
“We’re still a work in progress but we’re pretty close to where we’re going to be…We’ll continue to look at things. There are interesting trends you can find when you dive into the statistics. Some guys love to hit with the bases empty,” Kingston said.
“Some guys love to hit with runners on base and vice versa. And some guys find a spot in the order and are comfortable there. So when you move them you take them out of a comfort zone. We’ll continue to be consistent with it cause guys generally like a routine. We’ll try to do that as much as we can.”
As it stands right now, the Gamecocks have seven guys who are going to be in the lineup everyday, the only change being behind the plate and in centerfield.
Cole Messina’s bat is going to be in the lineup daily but when he needs a break at catcher, Jonathan French slides into the lineup, Messina shifts to first and Gavin Casas moves to the designated hitter spot.
[Become an NIL supporter of your South Carolina Gamecocks!]
The other comes in the nine-hole and centerfield where Will Tippett and Dylan Brewer seem to be platooning there as a left-right matchup.
Tippett, a switch hitter, is better facing lefties so far this year and showed flashes in a series win at Georgia. He went 2-for-6 with three runs scored and an RBI single. He struck out once to one walk.
“As a switch hitter, he’s better right handed but he’s an elite defender out there,” Kingston said. “He’s a mature kid. he’s a lot like (Ethan) Petry where it’s not too big for him. He loves to play and is a great teammate. He has all the characteristics of what will be a good player because of his athleticism and work ethic. He’s been a nice spark.”
If French–who’s hitting .300/.517/.500 in 20 at-bats this season–is in the lineup, it means Carson Hornung is out of the lineup against a left-hander. Then Hornung will move back into the lineup if the opponent is starting a righty.
[Subscribe for free to Gamecock Central’s YouTube page!]
But while the Gamecocks are largely set, there is still some movement that might happen on a day-to-day basis.
“I think you’ll see a few tweaks here and there especially as it relates to left versus right in terms of the pitcher we’re facing,” Kingston said. “You’ll see some tweaks but for the most part, you know the seven guys that are going to play pretty much every day. Then Hornung being a left-right combo and potentially Tippett and Brewer being a left-right combo.”
And it probably should stay the same with the Gamecocks off to an electric start offensively.
South Carolina is slashing .306/.446/.601 as a team with 56 home runs and 226 runs through 22 games. The Gamecocks are also slashing .323/.447/.645 with eight homers in a small three-game sample size in SEC play.
They’ll face a tough test against a Missouri staff that’s pitching really well, but the Gamecocks are confident.
“We’re feeling good. We’ve prepared for this,” Braylen Wimmer said. “Coach (Monte) Lee’s done a good job with us. We’re feeling good and ready to go.”
[Get South Carolina baseball news and analysis via email]
Series details
Who: No. 11/14 South Carolina (20-2, 3-0 SEC) vs. No. 22/18 Missouri (17-3, 3-0 SEC)
When: Friday, March 24-Saturday, March 26
Game times: Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 4 p.m., Sunday, noon
How to watch: Friday and Sunday: SEC Network; Saturday: SEC Network Plus
How to listen: Gamecock Radio Network, 107.5 FM
Probable pitching
Friday: RHP Will Sanders (2-1, 4.18 ERA) vs. RHP Chandler Murphy (3-1, 3.04 ERA)
Saturday: RHP Noah Hall (4-0, 2.59 ERA) vs. LHP Ian Lohse (0-1, 3.00 ERA)
Sunday: RHP Jack Mahoney (3-0, 2.67 ERA) vs. TBA
