Gamecocks to host winner of Charlottesville Regional in next week's Super Regional
For the second day in a row, South Carolina got a one-run victory over Clemson.
This time, though, it only took nine innings.
The Gamecocks jumped out to a 3-0 first inning lead and held on to win 4-3 and capture the Columbia Regional before a sellout crowd at Carolina Stadium.
USC scored three first inning runs off Clemson starter David Haselden, who only recorded two outs before being removed from the game. Gamecock shortstop Joey Pankake set the tone by sending the second pitch of the game off the left field wall for a lead-off triple. Pankake scored on a sacrifice fly from center fielder Evan Marzilli, his eighth of the season, which tied a Gamecocks single-season record. South Carolina pushed across two more runs in the inning, giving freshman pitcher Jordan Montgomery a three-run lead before Clemson ever came to bat.
"It felt good to go out there with a lead," said Montgomery, who lasted 6.2 innings and struck out six in his first career NCAA tournament start. "It was good knowing I had a little cushion and knowing [we] were going to keep hitting. I just had to hold them."
The Gamecocks extended their lead to 4-0 in the sixth inning. After left fielder Tanner English doubled and advanced to third base on a throwing error, second baseman Chase Vergason laced a single to right field, scoring English and giving South Carolina a four-run cushion.
Clemson would mount a rally in the bottom of the sixth, scoring two runs to cut the USC lead in half. The Tigers pulled within one run in the ninth inning, but Clemson stranded the tying run on second base as relief pitcher Tyler Webb got Brad Felder to fly out to right field, ending the game.
"It was just another one of those great baseball games that we tend to have when we play Clemson," South Carolina head coach Ray Tanner said afterwards. "We had a great game today."
Although South Carolina went undefeated in the regional, Tanner was particularly impressed with his squad's performance against the Tigers.
"We probably can't play any better," Tanner said. "We put a complete game together today on the field, with defense and great pitching and enough runs to hold up."
South Carolina placed six players on the NCAA Columbia Regional All-Tournament Team: second baseman Chase Vergason, third baseman LB Dantzler, shortstop Joey Pankake, right fielder Adam Matthews, and pitchers Colby Holmes and Jordan Montgomery. Matthews was named the regional's most valuable player.
"It's an honor to be able to play at home in front of our fans and to be able to contribute in a big way," said Matthews, who hit .385 with six runs batted in over the weekend. "It was a lot of fun."
The Gamecocks will host the winner of Monday's Charlottesville Regional next weekend at Carolina Stadium. South Carolina will take on either Appalachian State, Oklahoma or Virginia. Dates and times for the Super Regionals will be announced Monday night.