Comeback Friday, Sunday lead Gamecocks over Tigers
Kyle Martin trotted home in the bottom of the eighth after another wild pitch found its way to the backstop. The chants started growing in volume, undeniable to anyone in Carolina Stadium.
“Just like football” the boisterous crowd yelled.
The wheels had fallen off for No. 11 Clemson, and No. 3 South Carolina had just scored for the fourth consecutive inning, sparked in the fifth by Grayson Greiner’s grand slam, and would go on to win Friday’s series opener with Clemson 9-6.
“That’s why we love playing in this stadium,” Greiner said. “We’ve got eight, nine, 10,000 people behind us even though we were down five runs. Once we got that big swing of the bat, you could feel the place light up a little bit.”
The Gamecocks (10-0) carried that same momentum into the second game of the series, ultimately overpowering the Tigers (6-4) 10-2 at Fluor Field.
South Carolina jumped on starter Matthew Crownover early for five runs in the third inning, although only one of those runs was earned. The Tigers totaled four errors in the second game of the series and had two in the Gamecocks’ five-run third inning alone. Crownover would exit after throwing just two and two thirds innings.
Freshman left-hander Jack Wynkoop scattered nine hits over six innings, allowing Clemson only two runs. Junior relief pitcher Joel Seddon slammed the door shut on the Tigers Saturday, coming in to pitch in the seventh and lasting until the game’s end. Seddon, who the Gamecocks have looked to as their closer, totaled four innings pitched over the series and held Clemson hitless in his time on the mound.
The third game, which was played in Clemson, saw the Tigers lead for most of the game, with Clemson pitcher Jake Long puzzling South Carolina. Long was pulled in the seventh inning, giving way to Clate Schmidt, who South Carolina was able to get a better handle on.
The Gamecocks came into the ninth inning trailing 3-1 and were down to their last strike after Connor Bright struck out looking. But it was déjà vu all over again for Clemson as Greiner proved to be too tough of an out.
With Kyle Martin standing on first, Greiner rattled off a single, followed by a pinch-hit single by Brison Celek to keep the two-out rally alive.
Freshman Marcus Mooney ripped a single up the middle to center field for his first hit of the day, scoring two runs and tying the game at three apiece. A double by junior Tanner English would plate Mooney and Zack Madden, who was pinch-running for Celek.
Cody Mincey faced three hitters in the bottom frame of the ninth inning and sat them each down consecutively, marking four and 2/3 innings of scoreless pitching out of the bullpen in the series for Mincey.
Clemson, ranked No. 11 by Baseball America before the sweep, was the stiffest competition the Gamecocks had faced so far, and coach Chad Holbrook made certain that everyone knew.
“We beat a very good Clemson team tonight,” Holbrook said. “Clemson is awfully talented, and I was just proud of the way our guys responded and played. It was a big win for us.”
Although South Carolina’s starting pitchers weren’t as razor sharp as they’ve become expected to be, the Gamecock bullpen picked them up, refusing to surrender a single run all series.
The heart of the Gamecocks’ batting order continues to be a force to be reckoned with, as Martin and Bright are now hitting an astounding .472 and .462, respectively, making Greiner’s stellar .343 mark look pedestrian. Between the three of them, they have registered 38 RBIs and five home runs so far on this young season.
Through Jordan Montgomery’s eyes, South Carolina’s comebacks on Friday and Sunday night were not surprising, especially with their in-state rival across the diamond.
“That’s the thing about our team, we’re definitely never going to give up,” Montgomery said, “especially against Clemson.”