USC takes three straight hard-fought games from Wildcats
Facing the Wildcats in a three-game homestand this weekend, it made sure that didn't happen again.
After clinching the series on a walk-off single in game two, the No. 3 Gamecocks completed their first SEC sweep of the year with a 4-1 win on Sunday.
"I'm very happy about being able to win all three games this weekend," said coach Ray Tanner. "It doesn't happen much in this conference. All three games were in the balance and could've gone either way. They had an opportunity today and got some runners on at the end, but we continued to do a good job at the mound and kept our team in position to win games."
Carolina wasted no time getting going offensively in game three, loading the bases with its first three batters for cleanup hitter Christian Walker.
On a 1-1 pitch, the sophomore first baseman slapped an RBI single into left field and was followed shortly by an Adrian Morales double play that allowed Scott Wingo to score from third, giving the Gamecocks an early 2-0 lead.
The hits were few and far between from that point on, however, as both teams combined for only four throughout the next five innings. Right-hander Forrest Koumas continued to shine, earning his third win of the season in his second collegiate start. The freshman — who spent the better part of the week in the hospital after an allergic reaction — worked 6.1 innings and allowing just two hits and no runs while striking out three.
"I was impressed with his outing," Tanner said. "I know that he's young and anxious and that he was going to tell me that he could go, but I got a little bit more than I thought he could give. He probably felt like he could stay longer, but I just didn't think there could be a lot more in the tank. It was a very impressive performance."
Walker added another RBI in the seventh on a fielder's choice, but the Wildcats started a rally of their own in the eighth. After getting on the board with an RBI single off reliever John Taylor, Kentucky proceeded to load the bases on a four-pitch walk. Taylor kept his composure, however, and managed to strikeout pinch-hitter Thomas McCarthy to maintain the two-run advantage.
Carolina scored one more in the eighth on an RBI single from Evan Marzilli then managed to hold off another UK rally in the ninth to secure the series sweep.
"You can't say enough good things about what [pitching coach Jerry Meyers] has done and our pitching staff," Tanner said. "You can only win if your pitchers allow you the opportunity. We had some timely hits, but didn't score a whole lot of runs. We still had opportunities to win because those guys did a super job for us."
The Gamecocks took game one of the series behind another impressive outing from lefty Michael Roth. A week after shutting down then-No. 1 Florida, Roth went eight innings against Kentucky and allowed three hits and one run while striking out six.
On the other side of the ball, shortstop Peter Mooney continued his success at the plate since starting slow earlier in the season. The junior — who finished the weekend with four hits — launched his first home run of the year over the right field wall in the fifth, capping off Carolina's 3-1 victory.
"He had a great fall and a great preseason, and then the season started and it was almost like he was trying to do too much," Tanner said. "I think he got out of his comfort zone a little bit, but then he settled back down. What you're seeing now is really the guy that we thought we were going to have the entire year."
Carolina (22-5, 7-2) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in game two, but went silent offensively through the middle innings, allowing Kentucky (15-14, 2-7) to pull ahead 3-2 heading into the eighth. With the bases loaded, however, outfielder Jake Williams smacked an RBI single into center, tying the game 3-3 and eventually sending it into extra innings.
After closer Matt Price kept the Wildcats at bay in the 10th, the Gamecocks managed to get runners at the corners for catcher Brady Thomas. With a full count, the senior drilled a single off UK second baseman J.T. Riddle's glove, scoring Morales from third to clinch the series win.
"[Thomas] has a reputation of being that kind of guy," Tanner said. "He seems to have his better at-bats when the chips are down."