Even for the average fan, it is clear that the energy around Founders Park has been different in recent weeks. With the program now under the guidance of Monte Lee, the Gamecocks have seemed to find a new purpose on the field.
South Carolina is currently 15th overall and 8th in pitching in the Southeastern Conference. Despite the record, the Gamecocks have picked up wins against then-top-ranked No. 4 Arkansas and No. 2 Texas to avoid sweeps. Additionally, the team earned its first series win against Missouri.
The biggest reason the Gamecocks earned those wins is the pitching staff. While inconsistency as a whole has plagued the team for much of the season, some pitchers and the staff have begun to find their roles moving into the latter half of the season on the mound.
Weekend rotation setting team up for success
While most of the final scores do not show it, the coaching staff has seemed to hone in on its two top arms going into the second half of the season. Juniors Amp Phillips and Brandon Stone have made starts every weekend under Monte Lee and have continued to find relative success despite inconsistent run support from the offense.
Phillips has been the game two starter every weekend this season and has been a consistent arm for South Carolina. One major aspect of Phillips’ contributions has been his ability to eat up innings for the bullpen. In conference play, Phillips has had four starts of six or more innings and holds an ERA of 2.52.
Stone has been the definition of a “team-first” guy. Whether he has been asked to make starts against some of the top teams in the country or help in relief out of the bullpen, he is there and ready to compete.
Following with a 3.28 ERA through 49.1 innings of work, Stone has made six starts over the weekend in either the first or last games of series. The coaches have found Stone is most effective up until around 75-80 pitches, so while his outings might be shorter, he has continued to perform in whatever role necessary for the Gamecocks.
In recent years and throughout different coaching tenures, one thing seems to have remained pretty constant for South Carolina baseball: Sunday TBA. This is not out of the ordinary for teams to use at all, but it was not something that was anticipated as much at the beginning of the season when South Carolina was believed to have a solid rotation of arms to choose from.
The game one starting role has been handed around over the course of the season, with redshirt freshman Riley Goodman first earning the role before junior Josh Gunther moved in for a few weeks. With Stone now back in the starting spot, junior left-hander Alex Valentin has been called into a different role within the past few weeks.
Valentin has become a name that can be used as both a starter and out of the bullpen for South Carolina. He has made four starts so far in the second half of the season and has 45 strikeouts in 36.1 innings pitched.
"We all come to the SEC to win and compete," Valentin said. "We all want opportunities to get the ball in every situation."
Sophomore arms stepping up
The emergence of four younger arms for the Gamecocks in 2026 has been a huge positive for the program, especially in recent weeks. Sophomore right-handers Zach Russell, Cooper Parks and Connor Chicoli, along with left-hander Logan Prisco, have helped deliver some big outs in critical moments in conference play.
Both Russell and Parks returned for their sophomore seasons and have shown great improvement on the mound from last season. Russell came to South Carolina as a two-way player but was converted to a pitcher in the fall of his freshman year.
Russell has become one of the first names called on out of the bullpen and has gotten South Carolina some big outs in key moments. He has had three straight weekends with solid outings and has garnered much praise from Lee. Russell has 18 strikeouts in 20.1 innings pitched with a 2.61 ERA.
“Zach just continues to get better and better,” Lee said. “I'm just so proud of just how much he’s matured on the mound. He’s got a great fastball and the cutter, slider, whatever it is he throws is just nasty.”
Despite making minimal appearances his freshman year, Parks has had one of the farthest jumps in regard to maturity and confidence on the mound this season. As a freshman, Parks made seven appearances with ten hits, three strikeouts and 11 earned runs in 7.0 innings of work.
Parks has garnered more opportunities this season, pitching 21.1 innings so far. In conference play against Texas, Missouri and Mississippi State, Parks has combined for eight strikeouts in 7.2 innings in just those four appearances alone.
Chicoli and Prisco are two transfer arms that, until recently, were only really seen during midweek games. The two helped share the midweek starting roles but have moved into more prominent roles out of the bullpen. Both Chicoli and Prisco have a sub 3.00 ERA and have combined for 53 strikeouts in 47.2 innings of work.