After failing to hit a home run during their opening weekend series with UNCG, South Carolina defeated Charlotte 5-4 behind a pair of home runs from sophomore Jacob Olson and junior Alex Destino.
Freshman Sawyer Bridges earned the first midweek start of the season for the Gamecocks, but lasted just 2 1/3 innings in his collegiate debut, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out three batters.
South Carolina capitalized on aggressive base running in the opening frame, when sophomore center fielder TJ Hopkins stole third base and reached home on a wild pitch. Hopkins has now scored four runs in as many games as the catalyst at the top of South Carolina's lineup, but made an early departure in the top of the fourth with a minor leg injury.
"TJ’s been nursing a pulled quad or hip flexor, something along those lines," said South Carolina head coach Chad Holbrook. "He’s been nursing it for the last month. I just didn’t like the way he was moving out there today, and it was certainly a little tightened up."
Charlotte benefited in the top of the second from a throwing error by South Carolina shortstop Madison Stokes, allowing right fielder T.J. Nichting to score and tie the game. Bridges demonstrated impressive composure following the defensive miscue, notching his first two career strikeouts while working out of the stretch.
Olson, who slugged .603 as a freshman at West Georgia Tech Junior College last season, hit the first home run of 2017 for South Carolina, launching a ball into a gust heading out to left center.
“We all pick on him [Olson]," Destino said. "We don’t think he's got the prettiest swing, but he’s a freak athlete and he can just muscle up about any baseball. I think he’s going to put up really exciting numbers this year."
“They mess with me a lot about just trying to crush balls, but it’s just kind of my style and I do need to try and use all fields," Olson said.
Charlotte would plate two in the top of the third to take their first lead of the game.After allowing a pair of doubles, Bridges exited with one out in the inning. His replacement, junior right-hander Brandon Murray, allowed one of the runners he inherited to score on an RBI-groundout by Charlotte designated hitter Drew Ober.
With one out in the bottom of the fifth Carlos Cortes and Justin Row strung together consecutive doubles, allowing Cortes, who entered the game as Hopkins' replacement, to record the tying run. Destino pulled a 2-0 fastball out of the stadium during the next at-bat, and unlike Olson's previous home run, his didn't need any extra push from the wind.
The Gamecocks have relied heavily on crooked innings during each of their three wins thus far, having compiled at least one three-run inning in every victory.
Charlotte threatened in their final at-bat, collecting three singles against South Carolina's preseason All-American reliever Tyler Johnson. With one out, Charlotte second baseman Brett Netzer singled to right field to cut the Gamecocks' lead to 5-4. With runners on the corners, Johnson rebounded by recording a strikeout for the second out, before closing out the win by inducing a groundout to earn his first save on the season.
Next up
South Carolina will host their fifth game over a seven day stretch when they play Kansas State at 4 p.m. on Thursday.