USC outscored its opponents 41-14 in the Regional
1-seed South Carolina rolled to a 16-7 win over 2-seed Campbell in the Columbia Regional on Sunday night, punching their ticket to the Super Regionals next weekend.
The Camels got on the board early, taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a home run by Logan Jordan. The lead was short-lived, though, as the Gamecocks answered in the next inning. Cole Messina reached on an error to start things off, then Talmadge LeCroy got hit by a pitch and Gavin Casas hit into a fielder’s choice. LeCroy then stole third on a wild pitch and came home on a single by Michael Braswell, making the score 2-1. With two outs, Dylan Brewer grounded out to get Casas home and tie the game at 2-2.
USC took the lead for good in the third. Ethan Petry and Messina each singled with one out, then LeCroy came through with a double to score them both and make it 4-2. Casas followed with a double as well to get LeCroy in and push the score to 5-2, then Braswell knocked a base hit and Will Tippett laid down a sac bunt to bring Casas home and extend the lead to 6-2. Brewer hit a single that got Braswell in and made it a 7-2 game, then Will McGillis went yard to put the Cocks up 9-2. Campbell got a few runs back in the bottom of the inning, when Jordan homered again to make it 9-5.
Carolina got into double digits in the fourth, after Messina singled to lead off and LeCroy and Braswell walked to load the bases again with one out. Brewer then walked with two outs to force in a run and make the score 10-5. The Gamecocks tacked on four more runs in the next inning. Braylen Wimmer blasted a solo shot to lead off, pushing the lead to 11-5, then Petry walked, Messina singled, and a ground out by LeCroy got Petry home to make it 12-5. Casas was hit by a pitch, Braswell walked, and a wild pitch allowed Messina to come in and put USC up 13-5. Tippett then hit a sac fly to score Casas and make it a 14-5 game. The Camels scored once in the bottom of the inning, making it 14-6 on a double by Drew Winters.
Both teams scored one run each in the sixth. In the top of the inning, Wimmer got hit by a pitch to start things off and later came home on a single from LeCroy, putting the Cocks ahead 15-6. Campbell’s run in the bottom of the inning came on a Jarrod Belbin fly out and made it a 15-7 game. South Carolina’s final run was scored in the eighth inning, after Wimmer doubled with one out and came in on a two-out base hit by LeCroy.
Gamecocks starter Matthew Becker went three innings and allowed six hits and five runs. He also walked one batter and struck out four. Nick Proctor and Will Sanders also pitched in this game, and Proctor earned the win, making him 5-0, while Sanders got the save, his first. Camels starter Ty Cummings worked 2.2 innings and gave up nine hits and nine runs. He also issued one walk, struck two batters out, and took the loss, making him 6-3.
Wimmer led USC at the plate with four hits, while LeCroy recorded five RBI. Logan had three hits to pace Campbell, and he also tallied five RBI.
The Cocks are now 42-19, while the Camels finish the season 46-15. Carolina will now await its opponent and location for next weekend’s Super Regional.