USC tops Elon after allowing just seven hits in the series
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For most of the weekend series against Elon, the South Carolina dugout was quieter than usual.
With a no-hitter going through 8.2 innings in Game 1, and then another no-hitter going until the fifth in Game 2, none of the players could talk about the no-hitters so as to not jinx them.
“You think about it, but at the same time, you want to try to get it out of your head as soon as possible,” said first baseman Christian Walker. “You don’t want to sit there and blame yourself for it (not happening) just because you were thinking about it.”
Though the Gamecocks would ultimately get through the weekend without their first no-hitter since 1975, they would sweep the Phoenix by scores of 8-1, 3-2 and 6-0, respectively, behind dominating starting pitching.
Though USC coach Ray Tanner said he wasn’t engrossed in getting a no-hitter in the fourth and fifth games of the season, he was happy with his pitching after USC had 32 strikeouts and allowed just seven hits over the series.
“I think it’s the reason we’ve had a chance to win our games,” Tanner said. “We’ve played pretty good defense, but we haven’t been a potent team offensively. We scored some runs and we won, but we’ve been able to win our games because of our pitching staff.”
All three starting pitchers were on a restricted pitch count, just as they were for the opening series against Virginia Military Institute. Though Tanner said he left Friday starter Michael Roth in an inning longer than he wanted to, he pulled Saturday starter Matt Price after he threw 81 pitches through five innings.
Price, who said his arm tired toward the end of his first outing against VMI, allowed just one hit and struck out a career-high eight batters. He and reliever Tyler Webb combined for 16 strikeouts.
In his first outing, Price struggled with his command, hitting three batters and walking another three, though he didn’t allow a hit and had seven strikeouts. Against Elon, Price issued just one walk.
“You’re only as good as your last start,” Price said. “I just wanted to go out there and prove everybody wrong.”
While the Phoenix was able to avoid the shutout in the first two games of the series with late-game rallies, USC got its shutout in Game 3 behind Colby Holmes’ start. He pitched 5.2 innings, striking out six, walking three and allowing just three hits.
“I think Colby has been one of those guys that has kind of toiled in the shadows of Roth and Price and some other guys,” Tanner said. “He’s been pretty steady for us. He’s better. His fastball has a little bit more giddy-up now. He can get his change-up going. ... He competes and he’s intense. That’s what I like about Colby — if you score some runs for him, then he’ll come back out there and we call it the shutdown inning. He’ll try to get back in the dugout again and try to use that momentum to his benefit. He’s done a nice job for us.”
Tanner attributed the strong pitching performance to the veteran leadership of starters Roth, Price and Holmes, though Tanner felt comfortable in throwing freshmen Evan Beal and Vince Fiori after he pulled Holmes, who had 88 pitches. Fiori, Beal, and senior Ethan Carter combined for no hits, no walks and three strikeouts in relief for Holmes. Tanner said that freshman Jordan Montgomery is the probable starter for the midweek game against Presbyterian.
But with a young lineup, the veteran starting pitching has been able to take some of the pressure off the offense, which is still finding its footing.
“We as an offense probably need to swing it a little better, but they’ve been picking us up so far,” said third baseman LB Dantzler. “I’m sure later in the season they’ll be game where we pick them up — hopefully not if they keep throwing like this — but it definitely gives us confidence because so far if we score one or two runs, we’re going to win.”