Gamecocks hit three homers to capture season series against Clemson

Clemson won Friday but dropped the final two games of the series to South Carolina. (File photo)

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sun Mar 05 16:00:26 GMT-04:00 2023

COLUMBIA – Clemson ran out of pitching against the homer-happy Gamecocks Sunday.

South Carolina homered three times against a depleted Clemson pitching staff and the Tigers left nine runners on base and struck out nine times as the Gamecocks captured the season series with a 7-1 victory Sunday afternoon at Founders Park.

The Tigers won the first game of the series but the Gamecocks won game two in Greenville Saturday and in Columbia Sunday to win the series two games to one. The Tigers were without Friday starter Ryan Ammons this weekend, and Caden Grice was a choice to take the mound Sunday in Columbia but he was ejected from Saturday’s game after arguing balls and strikes and was forced to sit out Sunday’s game.

South Carolina improves to 11-1 on the season and the Tigers are under .500 for the first time at 5-6. Clemson is just 1-6 in its last seven games after a 4-0 start.

"Tip of the hat to South Carolina. They totally outplayed us in every facet today,” head coach Erik Bakich said. “They swung the bats very well. They completely shut us down offensively.”

Bakich said the Tigers could have used Grice, but his absence wasn't the difference.

“We could have used him on the mound today for sure,” Bakich said. “But that is no excuse. We will use him as a pitcher moving forward. That had nothing to do with anything offensively, and it had nothing to do with our ability to get ahead of hitters today.”

Righthander Billy Barlow started for the Tigers and the Gamecocks got on the board with an early run. Braylen Wimmer doubled with one out in the bottom of the first and he came around to score on Cole Messina’s RBI single for a 1-0 lead.

The Tigers tied the score in the second. Will Taylor led off with a walk and stole second. It looked like the Gamecocks would get out of trouble but Riley Bertram laced a single to left to score Taylor and tie the score at 1-1.

The Gamecocks would regain the lead in the bottom of the inning when Gavin Casas launched the first pitch he saw far over the wall in left for a 2-1 lead.

The Tigers continued to put runners in scoring position but left three on base over the next two innings. Barlow pitched two innings and gave up two runs, both earned, while striking out two and walking none. He threw 26 pitches, 19 for strikes.

He was replaced by Ty Olenchuk, who gave up three fly balls in a scoreless third. Those fly balls turned into long fly balls in the fourth. With one out, Ethan Petry lined a shot at Bertram, who let the ball bounce off his glove for an error. That brought up Casas, who launched his eighth homer of the season over the wall in center for a two-run shot.

Talmadge LeCroy followed that with a long homer to left, his seventh of the season, for a 5-1 lead that sent the home crowd into a frenzy. Will McGillis hit one to deep left that fell just short of the wall and Olenchuk escaped without further damage.

South Carolina came into the series ranked No. 1 in the nation in home runs. Clemson had held them without one through a game and then six innings yesterday, but the Gamecocks homered in four of the next six innings with an at-bat since (5 total) through the first four innings Sunday.

Jack Mahoney started for the Gamecocks and threw four innings, giving up just the one run while walking two and striking out four. He threw 83 pitches while having to dance in and out of trouble, but left with the big lead.

The Gamecocks added to their lead with a single run in the fifth to push the lead to 6-1, but Clemson threatened in the sixth. Gavin Abrams walked with one out and Nathan Hall singled just in front of home plate to put runners at first and second with one out. However, Bertram struck out looking on an 0-2 pitch and Cooper Ingle grounded to short to end the frame.

South Carolina added a final run in the eighth to account for the final score.

James Hicks was outstanding in relief of Mahoney, throwing five scoreless in improving to 3-0. Barlow (0-1) took the loss for the Tigers.

Clemson hosts East Tennessee Tuesday and Presbyterian Wednesday, then plays host to Georgia St. in a three-game series at Doug Kingsmore next weekend.