South Carolina baseball (13-16, 1-8 SEC) suffered its second series sweep of the season after falling to No. 7 Georgia 3-0 over the weekend. In the first full series under new interim head coach Monte Lee, the Gamecocks dropped a close 3-1 matchup Friday night before falling 5-2 Saturday. South Carolina was unable to salvage the Sunday finale and fell 9-7 to the Bulldogs.
South Carolina falls 5-2 to Bulldogs Friday night
South Carolina baseball fell to No. 7 Georgia in the series opener Friday night at Foley Field, 5-2, in seven innings.
Junior right-handed pitcher Josh Gunther made his fifth start of the season for the Gamecocks, while junior right-handed pitcher Joey Volchko was on the mound for Georgia. Gunther finished with four innings pitched, allowing four walks and recording four strikeouts.
The Gamecocks picked up the first points of the evening at the top of the second. To lead off, senior outfielder Luke Yuhasz singled out to left field, with two other singles following, advancing Yuhasz home for a 1-0 lead.
Georgia responded in the bottom of the inning with senior outfielder Kenny Ishikawa hitting an RBI single to center field, scoring senior catcher Brennan Hudson, tying up the game 1-1. Shortly following, the Bulldogs took a 5-1 lead with junior outfielder Daniel Jackson hitting a grand slam to close out the inning.
In the fifth inning, junior right-handed pitcher Parker Marlatt came to the mound, relieving Gunther. The bulldogs loaded up the bases, but Marlatt was able to strike out senior shortstop Kolby Branch for the last out, stalling Georgia’s scoring abilities.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Zach Russell entered the game for Marlatt at the bottom of the sixth with one more out remaining. Jackson grounded out to left field with a base hit attempt, but the Gamecocks acted quickly, getting the ball back to first for the out. The score remained 5-1 with the Bulldogs in the lead.
South Carolina’s momentum picked up in the seventh with a single from fifth-year catcher Talmadge LeCroy and a walk issued to sophomore shortstop KJ Scobey. Senior designated hitter Jake Randolph then hit an RBI single to left field, scoring LeCroy, but still trailing Georgia 5-2.
South Carolina brought in their fourth pitcher of the game, junior right-hander Alex Philpott, to close out the evening. Philpott came in hot, striking out junior outfielder Jack Arcamone to head into the eighth.
"He gives us another weapon to use out of the bullpen or to start," Lee said. "I am looking forward to him continuing to become better and better and become a bigger part of the pitching staff."
The Gamecocks were able to load up the bases in an attempt to take the lead against Georgia. However, LeCroy grounded out to first, leaving the loaded bases stranded to lose the first game of the series 5-2.
Slow offensive day grants Bulldogs with 3-1 win and series victory
The Gamecocks dropped their second game of the series 3-1 against the Bulldogs to secure the series loss Saturday. The South Carolina pitching staff had 11 strikeouts, while the offense left eight runners on base and were 0-6 with runners in scoring position.
"We've just got to swing the bats better," Lee said. "We've had opportunities with runners on base, just got to come up with a hit."
Junior pitcher Amp Phillips made the start on the mound and gave up five hits and had three earned runs with nine strikeouts in six innings of work against the No. 7 Bulldogs.
South Carolina took advantage of mistakes from Georgia’s junior right-hander Dylan Vigue in the first inning. The bases were loaded with one out after junior centerfielder Tyler Bak reached on a fielder’s choice and back-to-back walks from senior catcher Jake Randolph and LeCroy.
The Gamecocks took an early 1-0 lead after a bases-loaded walk from Scobey pushed the first run of the day across home. Redshirt sophomore Paul Farley entered in relief Vigue and got a strikeout and a groundout to end the bases-loaded threat in the first inning.
Georgia tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning off a solo home run from sophomore outfielder Henry Allen.
Scobey doubled to lead off the fourth inning for the Gamecocks and later advanced to third on a sacrifice fly from Yuhasz. The Gamecocks were unable to score Scobey and stayed tied at 1-1 after 3.5 innings.
South Carolina had another opportunity at the top of the sixth inning after walks from LeCroy and Yuhasz put more action on the bases. The Gamecocks came up empty-handed once again to tally seven runners left on base through 5.5 innings in the matchup.
Georgia took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning courtesy of a two-run home run from sophomore centerfielder Rylan Lujo. After giving up the homer, Phillips struck out the next three batters he faced to limit the damage to just two runs.
Despite at least one runner reaching in the sixth and eighth innings, South Carolina fell 3-1 to drop its third straight conference series.
Sophomore pitchers Logan Prisco and Connor Chicoli shut out Georgia in their combined three innings of relief work in the loss, including a strikeout each.
South Carolina faces series sweep to Georgia
Georgia defeated South Carolina in a comeback fashion, despite energetic offensive efforts by both teams. The Gamecocks maintained the lead for six innings but ultimately fell 9-7.
Ishikawa took the mound for Georgia in the first inning. Junior infielder Patrick Evans secured the first run of the game following an RBI single by Randolph. Scobey continued the early offensive success, hitting a fly out, allowing Yuhasz to increase the lead to 2-0.
Junior right-handed pitcher Brandon Stone started for the Gamecocks. Georgia responded in the bottom of the first and tied the game with runs from junior third baseman Tre Phelps and Jackson.
Graduate right-handed pitcher Grant Edwards replaced Ishikawa in the second inning. Sophomore first baseman Beau Hollins regained the lead, hitting an RBI double, allowing freshman infielder Will Craddock to score.
Evans hit the first home run of the series for the Gamecocks, setting the score to 4-2 and forcing Vigue to finish out the top of the second.
South Carolina continued its offensive power with LeCroy hitting an RBI single, which sent Hollins home and put the Gamecocks up three runs on the Bulldogs in the top of the fourth.
Georgia brought in graduate right-hander Caden Aoki who quickly gave up an RBI double to Scobey. Yuhasz, who singled previously in the inning, scored off the double to add another run in the fourth to take a 6-2 lead.
Senior second baseman Ryan Black secured a sliding double, and Branch hit an RBI single, giving Georgia its third run of the game in the bottom of the fourth.
Stone finished just over four innings with three strikeouts, and junior left-handed pitcher Alex Valentin took the mound. Phelps cut into South Carolina’s lead, reaching home on a passed ball. South Carolina ended the fifth on a double play and entered the sixth up two runs.
Black was walked to open the bottom of the sixth, leading Marlatt to replace Valentin for the Gamecocks. The Bulldogs managed to load the bases, and a two-run RBI by Jackson tied the game 6-6. Phelps gained the first lead of the game for Georgia on a single to left field by graduate infielder Bryce Calloway, and Russell relieved Marlatt.
Randolph hit a solo home run to re-tie the game 7-7 in the top of the eighth. Aoki was replaced by redshirt junior pitcher Justin Byrd due to pitch count, ending four innings with seven strikeouts. Junior pitcher Alex Philpott finished the game.
Georgia took the lead with another run by Phelps on an RBI double from Jackson. The Bulldogs stretched the lead to 9-7 with a single by Calloway, driving Jackson in.
South Carolina was unable to regain the lead, sealing the weekend sweep and losing 9-7 for its 16th loss of the season.
What's Next?
South Carolina returns to Founders Park for a five-game homestand, hosting Wofford Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., and the game will be streaming on SEC Network+.