Diving catch by Mazilli saves lead for USC
After 11 innings of baseball between South Carolina and Clemson, Clemson coach Jack Leggett and USC coach Ray Tanner left Charleston with different impressions of the way the game ended.
With the Gamecocks holding a one-run lead, Leggett pinch-hit freshman Jay Baum in a situation with runners on the corners and two outs. Baum hit a soft line drive to shallow centerfield, which sent USC centerfielder Evan Marzilli running, as he was positioned in the gap between center and right.
Having to cover about 45 feet, he dove just in time to scoop ball before it touched the ground, giving the Gamecocks a 3-2 win in Game 1 of the traveling series.
South Carolina’s Ray Tanner wasn’t surprised by the play, while Leggett had a different reaction.
“I thought for sure that when Jay Baum hit the ball it was in without any question at all,” Leggett said. “He took his chances and dove for it, and if it goes beyond him, we end up winning the ball game. He made a really nice play.”
It wasn’t the first play for Marzilli, as he launched a ball from center to catcher Grayson Greiner to tag rightfielder Dominic Attanasio out at home in the fifth. In the seventh, Marzilli did the same thing with a throw just as powerful, but Greiner didn’t come down with the catch, as it bounced off his glove.
But in the 11th with USC leading, after plating two runs in the top of the inning, Marzilli had more to lose.
"It was just one of those plays, where the kid got it up in the air a little bit,” Marzilli said. “I got an opportunity to get under it. You don't really know until you're about five feet from it. But it was a nice play."
Marzilli said the thought of not making the catch didn’t cross his mind. It didn’t cross Tanner’s either.
“He makes those plays all the time in practice,” Tanner said. “When we’re taking batting practice, he’s not a guy who just stands around shagging. He makes plays and sometimes I tell him to be real careful about diving.”
Tanner, who came into the series wanting to put the oldest team on the field that he could, pinch-hit freshman Kyle Martin in the 11th inning for Greiner, who had three strikeouts at the plate. Martin singled, bringing Walker, who had been walked to start the inning, to third. Designated hitter Sean Sullivan scored Walker to give the Gamecocks a 2-1 lead.
Freshman Connor Bright then came to the plate for the first time of the night. Tanner had started junior-college transfer Chase Vergason at second over Bright and freshman TJ Costen. In the 10th inning, Tanner subbed Costen for Vergason in favor of Costen’s offensive prowess, but he then put Bright in because he feels Bright is more comfortable as a defender.
Bright didn’t disappoint at the plate, getting a hit to send Patrick Harrington, who was pinch-running for Martin, barreling towards home. Harrington collided with Clemson catcher Spencer Kieboom, who injured his elbow on the play before surrendering the run. Leggett said catcher Phil Pohl will start tomorrow.
For Tanner, the extra-inning win was one that he hopes will mature his younger hitters.
“This is the kind of environment we’re going to be in throughout the year,” Tanner said. “Certainly, you’re not going to play Clemson all of the time, but in the SEC you’re going to have some big crowds and some big battles. Hopefully what happened with those guys tonight makes them a little more comfortable going forward.”
The veteran Marzilli, who entered the series hitting a quiet .357 batting average, didn’t produce at the plate in his typical leadoff role, not having a hit in the game. Though he can go overlooked with stars like pitcher Michael Roth and first baseman Christian Walker on the two-time national championship squad, he is much appreciated by his teammates.
“He gets us going,” Roth said. “He leads us off. His defense is outstanding out there.”