South Carolina win streak snapped in series-opening loss to Clemson

South Carolina found a way to make it interesting late, but a tough start to the game ultimately doomed the Gamecocks Friday. 

They spotted their rival Clemson four runs over the first three innings in what was ultimately a 5-2 loss that snapped a nine-game winning streak to open the year. 

“It was an intense, emotional game. You love to play it,” Mark Kingston said. “You wish you would have won the game but we’ll be ready to go tomorrow.” 

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It was tough sledding through the first five innings of the game as South Carolina (9-1) fell behind by four runs over the first three innings and couldn’t muster much of anything offensively. 

South Carolina’s miscues mounted to start the game and, paired with a shaky start from Will Sanders, led to a big hole to climb out of. 

Clemson tagged him for a pair of runs in the first. Sanders watched as the first pitch he threw was taken to left field for a home run. He then gave up consecutive one-out doubles. 

The Gamecocks gifted Clemson another run in the second. With a runner at second, Cole Messina dropped a third strike on what would have been an inning-ending play andsailedg the ball to first which allowed the runner to score. 

“It was a borderline pitch called a strike. He thought it was a ball so he was trying to frame that ball and jerk it into the strike zone. It just went off his glove,” Kingston said. “When he got back to the plate he knew you had to throw that guy out or it could turn into a run. Then it turned into a run. The ball sailed on him a little bit. It wasn’t for lack of trying or lack of effort.” 

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Carson Hornung overran a ball in left field the following inning, leading to a standup double that ultimately came around to score on an RBI groundout. 

“I thought he had it but it looked like he banged up against the wall. I went out to the umpire to see if that’s something we need to look at in terms of maybe if it was a foul ball,” Kingston said. “He assured me it would be a waste of a video review because it was clearly a fair ball. It was just a tough play against the wall.” 

In the blink of an eye, the Gamecocks trailed by four runs. And they couldn’t do much offensively until the seventh inning, failing to do much off of starter Austin Gordon. Gordon, making his first Friday night start, pitched 4.2 scoreless while allowing just three hits and striking out two. 

South Carolina had just three hits through six innings with no runs to show for it, not taking any pressure off of Sanders (1-1, 3.60 ERA). 

The Gamecocks’ starter finished allowing five runs–four earned–and striking out nine over six innings Friday night. Clemson hit him hard early but allowed just one run over his final three innings, a solo shot in the sixth. 

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“He was (being hit hard). But if you go back and look there were some tough breaks in there too,” Kingston said. “They got on the fastball early on but he settled in and thought Jerzembeck settled in too. Look, it was a three-run ballgame and we had the tying run to the plate. It was a good baseball game.” 

South Carolina–after failing to capitalize on numerous chances in the game–made things interesting late. It got an RBI single from Talmadge LeCroy with no one out in the seventh to break up the shutout but Hornung struck out looking.

Dylan Brewer bounced into a threat-ending double play. South Carolina got a run in the ninth on a Hornung sac fly. After a two-out single, the Gamecocks brought the tying run to the plate. 

But McGillis grounded out, his second empty at-bat with two runners on base. The Gamecocks stranded six and hit just 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. 

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“They did a good job going in a lot, and that’s something we’ll make an adjustment on,” Kingston said. “We were just a little ahead of the offspeed and behind the fastball. It’s something we’ll make adjustments on.” 

South Carolina has to regroup quickly with a fast turnaround for game two. 

“We lost one game. It’s a long season. We’re in a rival’s ballpark,” Kingston said. “We lost by three runs and had the tying run at the plate. We’re going to be just fine.” 

Up next: South Carolina tries to even the series Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Fluor Field in Greenville. South Carolina will start Noah Hall opposite Clemson’s Tristan Smith. The SEC Network Plus will also televise the game.

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