Just one game into the 2015 college baseball season, No. 5 South Carolina head coach Chad Holbrook was already frustrated. For whatever reason, his team lacked the fight and intensity he expected on opening day with the Gamecocks losing 6-3 on Friday to No. 25 College of Charleston.
What a difference a day makes. On Saturday, Holbrook saw a re-energized South Carolina team (2-1) sweep a doubleheader to take the season opening series against the Cougars (1-2). Sophomore pitcher Wil Crowe looked impressive in game one with a 7-1 South Carolina victory, and freshman designated hitter Alex Destino made his mark on game two as South Carolina took the game, 8-3.
“We feel much better today than we felt yesterday at this time,” Holbrook said on Saturday. “I feel like we beat a really good College of Charleston team today.”
With the rubber match between the two team’s tied 3-3 late in the game, it was Destino that made the difference for the Gamecocks. Destino, a lefty, turned on a pitch in the seventh inning and knocked it over the right field fence for a two-run home run to give the Gamecocks the lead.
A 6-foot-2-inch, 215-pound freshman who also dabbles in pitching, Destino is known best for his power and prowess with the bat. Before even stepping on the diamond for the first time as a Gamecock, several people were already setting expectations for the No. 53 best high school prospect in 2014, according to Perfect Game USA.
For the Weaverville, North Carolina native, hitting a go-ahead home run was a special and relieving moment.
“When I kind of put that one out, that made me get going on my feet and it made me feel a lot better at the plate,” Destino said.
Destino wasn’t the only Gamecock to have a good day offensively. Eight different South Carolina players recorded at least one hit on Saturday and the Gamecocks had 20 hits between the two games.
On the other end of the spectrum, South Carolina’s pitching and defense was equally as impressive at times during the series.
Making his season debut in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader, South Carolina sophomore pitcher Wil Crowe puzzled College of Charleston hitters while earning the admiration of his coach.
Surrendering just one earned run in 6.1 innings of work, Crowe struck out a career-high 10 batters in what Holbrook referred to as a “Friday night performance.”
“He had some great performances last year, don’t get me wrong, but there was presence about him today,” Holbrook said. “An air, so to speak.”
Crowe said that he just wanted to set the tone after the Gamecocks’ season opening loss.
“I wanted to come out and try to light some fire into the guys and show them that it’s a big day and a good day to play,” Crowe said.
The Gamecocks’ relief pitchers also made a statement throughout the weekend. Although a little short on experience and depth, the South Carolina bullpen gave up only two runs in 10 innings over the course of the series.
In game two of Saturday’s double header, freshman pitcher Brandon Murray picked up the win after getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning. Sophomore pitcher Taylor Widener also looked impressive, recording the final eight outs of the game, six of which were strikeouts, tying a career-high.
Holbrook was happy that his team was able to grab a series win against a ball club as talented as College of Charleston. The Cougars advanced to a Super Regional in the 2014 NCAA tournament and are thought of as the team to beat in the Colonial Athletic Association.
“Hopefully by the end of the year, we’ll look back at this series and think it was a key series for us,” Holbrook said. “I think College of Charleston is a heck of a team, and they are going to win 40-plus games this season and win their league again.”
South Carolina returns to Carolina Stadium on Tuesday against Furman at 4 p.m. Holbrook hopes that his players can continue to think of the team above themselves, like they did Saturday.
“We kind of got lost in the games a little bit today, both emotionally and weren’t worrying so much about ourselves; we were wrapped up about the team,” Holbrook said. “When you do that you have the chance to play the way you are capable of playing.”