The South Carolina baseball team took two of three games in the season-opening series against Northern Kentucky this weekend at Founders Park.
The Gamecocks took both Friday games, capped by a walk-off home run off the bat of sophomore infielder KJ Scobey in game two. Northern Kentucky got the best of South Carolina in Game 3, but it remained a series win to begin the season for the Gamecocks.
South Carolina earns first win of 2026 season
South Carolina opened the 2026 season with a 5-2 win over Northern Kentucky in Game 1 of the Friday doubleheader.
Redshirt freshman pitcher Riley Goodman had his first collegiate start as a Gamecock and had a solid outing, finishing with five strikeouts and two walks through 3.2 innings pitched.
Both teams remained knotted at 0-0 through the first four innings of the game. Despite three hits in the first three innings, South Carolina had three runners in scoring position left on base and were unable to convert runs early in the game.
Northern Kentucky loaded the bases again in the fourth inning, with junior right fielder Patrick Evans preventing the runner at third from scoring with a deep throw to fifth-year catcher Talmadge LeCroy.
Junior pitcher Josh Gunther entered the game with the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth inning and struck out redshirt sophomore outfielder Hunter Friedberg to keep the score 0-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth.
Gunther earned the win after going 4.2 innings with seven strikeouts, one walk and two earned runs in his first outing as a Gamecock.
After four scoreless innings, South Carolina finally saw its first run of the season scored courtesy of a solo home run from Evans.
The long ball continued to be the Gamecocks' only method of scoring after junior infielder Dawson Harman blasted his first home run of the season to push South Carolina in front 3-0 after five innings.
Senior outfielder Ethan Lizama had his first hit of the season with a double to lead off the sixth inning. LeCroy had a standup RBI double to score Lizama and give the Gamecocks a 4-0 advantage.
Lizama continued to produce for the Gamecock offense with a leadoff triple in the bottom of the eighth inning. An RBI single from LeCroy scored the fifth run of the game for South Carolina.
The Norse looked to avoid a shutout in the ninth following three straight singles to load the bases once again with no outs. Northern Kentucky scored its first run of the game off a sacrifice fly, ending Gunther’s day. Junior lefthander Alex Valentin closed out the game and earned the save.
"I wouldn't be surprised if tomorrow we come out and really have a good offensive day," head coach Paul Mainieri said. "I do think that we're capable of being a really good offensive team."
Gamecocks earn come-from-behind win courtesy of walk-off home run
South Carolina won its second game of the season in dramatic fashion Friday night with a walk-off home run from sophomore infielder KJ Scobey to secure the doubleheader sweep for the Gamecocks.
"It shows that anything is possible if you just don't give up and keep believing in yourself," Mainieri said. "All the life lessons that you try to teach kids come to pass when you have games like this, and it can really do amazing things for the entire squad."
Junior righthander Amp Phillips made the second start of the doubleheader on Friday afternoon, going 3.2 innings with seven strikeouts, three walks and two earned runs.
The Norse looked to strike first in the second matchup of the day following a four-pitch walk and a single to start the second inning. A wild pitch and sacrifice bunt gave Northern Kentucky a 2-0 lead in the second.
South Carolina quickly responded with a walk from LeCroy, and a fielder’s choice from senior outfielder Luke Yuhasz put runners on the corners. Sophomore catcher Gavin Braland successfully executed a sacrifice bunt to score LeCroy to cut the deficit in half, 2-1, in the second.
A single from Yuhasz and a hit-by-pitch from senior catcher Jake Randolph put two on with no outs in the bottom of the seventh for the Gamecocks. Senior infielder Logan Sutter grounded out to advance both runners into scoring position.
Junior outfielder Tyler Bak had the two-RBI single to give the Gamecocks a 3-2 lead in the seventh inning.
Northern Kentucky tied the game up in the top of the eighth inning with a solo home run from redshirt junior outfielder Josh Williams. A single from redshirt junior designated hitter Jake Paulick and a double from junior catcher Landon Springmeyer put runners in scoring position for the Norse with one out.
South Carolina intentionally walked the next batter to load the bases, with Northern Kentucky taking a 4-3 lead after a sacrifice fly. The Norse added one more run following an RBI single from Friedburg.
A two-out walk from Evans gave some hope for South Carolina’s offense in the eighth inning. Randolph drew his second hit-by-pitch of the game, with senior pinch hitter Aaron Jamison drawing a walk load the bases.
Bak once again delivered for the Gamecocks with another two-RBI single to tie the game up in the eighth.
Scobey walked it off in the bottom of the ninth with a solo home run to give the Gamecocks the series win over the Norse.
"Honestly, I was trying to end it," Scobey said. "That's just what I told myself. I was like, 'If we get three outs right here, I'm going to end it.'"
Junior pitcher Elijah Foster earned the win after a dominant ninth-inning performance with two strikeouts, one hit and no earned runs.
South Carolina loses in the final game of the series
South Carolina baseball lost in a close game, 3-2, to close out the series against Northern Kentucky.
Junior pitcher Brandon Stone started on the mound for the game, finishing with five strikeouts, three hits and one earned run allowed through four innings pitched.
Both teams started slow offensively, with neither team scoring in the first three innings. The Norse got on the board first in the fourth inning after Williams scored on a throwing error.
Stone was substituted for sophomore pitcher Cooper Parks, who was able to keep the Norse scoreless in the fifth. This allowed the Gamecocks to answer at the bottom of the fifth inning with a home run by catcher Reese Moore to tie the game at 1-1.
Parks struggled in the sixth and started the inning with two walks for redshirt junior infielder Pierce Bauerle and Paulick. With a runner in scoring position, graduate infielder Ethan Thomas hit an RBI single to score Bauerle, putting the Norse up 2-1.
After the run, Parks was substituted out for Valentin. Valentin's first pitch of the game resulted in an RBI double by Springmeyer to score Paulick, increasing the lead to 3-1.
The seventh and eighth innings were both scoreless innings as the Norse were up to potentially win their first game of the season. South Carolina scored again in the ninth as Yuhasz hit a groundout RBI that scored sophomore Beau Hollins, putting the Gamecocks down one at 3-2.
South Carolina's comeback attempt at the bottom of the ninth fell short as Scobey struck out swinging, leaving a runner on third.
What's Next?
South Carolina travels to Fifth Third Park in Spartanburg, South Carolina to take on Wofford on Feb. 17. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.