In the first-ever postseason matchup between the South Carolina Gamecocks (34-24, 17-13 SEC) and Ohio State Buckeyes (36-23, 14-10 Big Ten), South Carolina defeated Ohio State in the first game of the 2018 Greenville Regional at Clark-LeClair Stadium, 8-3.
This weekend’s regional marks the first postseason appearance for South Carolina under head coach Mark Kingston and the 32nd tournament appearance for the Gamecocks in school history.
“Great NCAA Regional game,” Kingston said. “Glad we came out on top, both teams played really hard in some intense heat and in the end, we just got hot. You have to tip your hat to [Connor] Curtis, I thought he was outstanding, but we were just able to get to their bullpen.”
The last time the Gamecocks reached Regional play in 2016, they defeated Wilmington twice before falling to Oklahoma State in the Super Regionals.
Junior right-handed pitcher Adam Hill started for South Carolina on the mound and threw 92 pitches and had 50 strikes over four innings before being replaced by Eddy Demurias in the top of the fifth. Graham Lawson filled in for Demurias over the final two innings of the game.
Dillon Dingler put the Buckeyes up early with a home run in the top of the second for Ohio State’s first run of the afternoon. In the top of the seventh inning, Dingler struck again with an RBI double extending the Buckeyes’ lead to 2-0.
In the top of the seventh, Danny Blair gave South Carolina a 3-2 lead off Buckeyes pitcher Seth Kinker.
“With two strikes I was just looking to score the guy on third, and put a ball in play,” Blair said. “I didn’t think it was flying too much in batting practice today so when I got up, I thought it was a sac fly but then it carried a little bit.”
Kinker came into Friday's matchup with a 1.49 ERA and 6-1 record in 60.1 innings pitched. In seven games played, he gave up ten runs. The Gamecocks scored five runs in the seventh and increased Kinker’s total runs surrendered to 15. He left the game with a 2.20 ERA.
“All year long we have asked Seth Kinker to pitch three innings and we had a two-run lead in that spot,” Buckeyes head coach Greg Beals said. “I have no regrets about that whatsoever. It didn’t work out today.”
In the bottom of the seventh, Justin Row added some insurance for the Gamecocks with a two-run single. Runs kept coming for South Carolina late in the game, as the Gamecocks posted three runs on four hits in the bottom of the eighth to extend their lead to 8-2.
Row didn’t let the scorching ninety-degree heat and his cramps late in the game get to him as the Gamecocks moved on in the ball game.
“It wasn’t tough until the end, I felt good all day,” Row said. “I’m just trying to play good defense for our pitchers, trying to do my part and get to the ball and I’ll be good by tomorrow.”
With the Gamecocks' victory today, they will face the winner of Friday evening's game between UNC-Wilmington and East Carolina tomorrow starting at 5 p.m. at Clark-LeClair Stadium as they move forward in the winner’s bracket.