Sophomore Tyler Johnson did the South Carolina baseball team and head coach Chad Holbrook a huge favor Sunday night, spinning a complete game to force a winner-take-all rematch with UNCW on Monday. However, the Gamecocks certainly aren't out of the woods yet.
South Carolina has now won three straight elimination games after dropping its regional opener, including a 23-2 rout of Rhode Island, who got the best of the Gamecocks on Friday. The trend of short outings for starting pitchers came to a halt Sunday, as Adam Hill went seven innings against the Rams before Johnson carried the team in the nightcap.
Hill and Johnson are surely done for the regional, and it is unlikely that fans will see Clarke Schmidt take the hill Monday, as the All-American threw 89 pitches in Friday's loss. Braden Webb and Josh Reagan each threw over 50 pitches Saturday, while Taylor Widener threw 48 in the first Rhode Island game.
Then there's Reed Scott. Scott, who has made 28 appearances for the Gamecocks this season, has thrown seven pitches in the team's first four games, all of which came in the fifth inning on Friday. It's safe to say that Scott, who ranks second on the team in ERA among players who have thrown at least 25 innings, will be ready to go against the Seahawks in the biggest game of the season so far.
Holbrook wasn't shy about starting a reliever Sunday, but don't go penciling Scott into your lineup card just yet. After an 10-1 win to force extra baseball on Monday, Holbrook told reporters to expect to see a good number of pitchers in the regional final, mentioning Schmidt, Webb, Reagan, Widener and Scott as guys who could see time on the mound.
Monday's contest is the most important game South Carolina has played over the course of the entire season. To ensure a victory, Holbrook and pitching coach Jerry Meyers could piece together multiple pitchers across nine innings, as the Gamecocks have too many guys available to not have a short leash.
However, pitching isn't the only decision Holbrook will need to make Monday. South Carolina may have too many infielders for their own good, leaving the fourth-year head coach with a tough call. Having excess talent is a good problem to have, but it's a problem nonetheless.
In lieu of ejected-then-suspended Jonah Bride, DC Arendas played fantastic baseball at third base Sunday, playing sharp defense and having a 6-for-8 day at the plate. Bride is allowed to return for Monday's game, and considering he has started 60 games this season, it's hard to imagine seeing the sophomore on the bench against the Seahawks.
However, with LT Tolbert playing well at second base, moving Bride back to third makes Arendas the odd man out, even though he's swinging a hot bat. Fortunately for Holbrook, the versatility of Tolbert gives him an easy fix.
Tolbert can take Madison Stokes' place at first, allowing Arendas to take over at his primary position of second base. Stokes has just two hits in 14 at-bats during the regional, so it's hard to see Holbrook having a tough time making this move. Moving Stokes to the bench gives the Gamecocks another pinch hit option outside of John Jones, which could be beneficial due to Jones' recent struggles.
Speaking of Jones, there are questions behind the plate too. TJ Hopkins seems to have settled into an outfield spot, moving Alex Destino to the designated hitter role. If that continues, the only way to get Jones in the lineup is to start him at catcher. Chris Cullen has become the main man behind the dish, but it has been Hunter Taylor, Saturday's hero, who was started two of the last three games. Between the power-hitting Jones, a defensive specialist in Cullen and a noted workhorse in Taylor, the coaching staff will have to consider both pieces of the battery while putting together the lineup card.
Holbrook has plenty of decisions to make before Monday's game, and he, along with Meyers, will have to continue to handle the pitching situation throughout the game, as it's unlikely that anyone other than Scott has the stamina to put together an extended outing. The "Fire Holbrook" crowd should be anxiously awaiting the game's first pitch, as there are many ways that the game can go wrong for South Carolina. However, the Gamecocks have talent all over the field, and they carry all the momentum.
Additionally, the SEC East champs have a chance to host a super regional at Founders Park. Oklahoma State upset No. 7 Clemson in the Clemson Regional, meaning the Cowboys will have to travel to Columbia if the Gamecocks take care of business Monday. With so much to play for, expect whoever Holbrook puts on the field to be on a short leash, as South Carolina can't afford to leave talent on the bench in a must-win game.