Five scoreless innings from right-handed pitcher Graham Lawson helped No. 7 South Carolina shut out Charleston Southern, 3-0, at Founders Park Wednesday.
“He was throwing strikes. He had a lot of fastballs,” coach Chad Holbrook said of Lawson. “The ball was sinking and running and I think that first inning he was throwing 94 miles per hour and that is pretty good for him.”
Lawson (2-0, 5.02 ERA) faced 16 batters, allowing no runs and two hits. The sophomore tallied two strikeouts with no walks over 57 pitches.
“I’m a boring guy. I roll a lot of ground balls. I just try to embrace that role and build on it and keep the pitch count low, Lawson said.
“I was missing middle a lot and catching some barrels that I didn’t catch in the fall. After talking with (Meyers), we changed up how we were going to approach that outer half and I feel like that helped me out big time tonight.”
South Carolina (15-5, 3-0 SEC) scored all three of its runs in the fifth inning. Second baseman LT Tolbert hit a leadoff single to right field, and shortstop Madison Stokes followed with a single to center field. The speedsters Tolbert and Stokes advanced to third and second, respectively. With two runners on and no outs, catcher Hunter Taylor flew out to center to score Tolbert from third.
In the next at bat, Hopkins grounded out to first, which advanced Stokes to third. First baseman Matt Williams drew a walk, followed by left fielder Alex Destino’s RBI single to left field. Third baseman Jonah Bride was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and right fielder Jacob Olson drew a walk to score USC's third and final run of the game.
“We weren’t necessarily at our best, but a lot of that has to do with the way Charleston Southern played and their pitches threw for them, Holbrook said.
“I think we have a good chance to be a really offensive team, too. We just have a great game and then we’ll have an OK game. But in those OK games, when you still find a way to win, that’s important.”
CSU starter Tyler Weekley (2-2, 4.50 ERA) was credited with the loss, after giving up five hits and two earned runs over 4.1 innings pitched. The Gamecocks finished with eight hits, while the Buccaneers finished with five.
Gamecocks reliever Colie Bowers (2-0, 0.63 ERA) earned the save, as he gave up no hits and retired five batters over 1.1 innings.
Next up:
The Gamecocks will host Alabama (11-10, 0-3 SEC) in a three-game series, beginning at 7 p.m. Friday. Game two of the series begins at 4 p.m. Saturday and game three begins at 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
Injury updates:
Holbrook said he anticipates right-handed ace Clarke Schmidt, who suffered an oblique strain last week, to throw against the Crimson Tide. He said he doesn’t know which day Schmidt will pitch, but plans to “sleep on it” and announce his decision by 11 a.m. Thursday.
“I feel very, very good and optimistic that he’s going to be a factor this weekend. I don’t know necessarily what day and what role but he’s going to factor in. I think he’s ready. He had a good bullpen session (Tuesday) and a little sore today, but as another day goes by I think he’s going to be ready to go.”
Holbrook said catcher Chris Cullen, who has missed two games with a knee injury, will be day-to-day with and anticipates him playing this weekend versus Alabama. Right-handed relief pitcher Tyler Johnson, who has been out since March 4, will not pitch this weekend, but will start throwing the following Monday. Holbrook's goal for Johnson is to return for the Vanderbilt series on April 6.