The offense came alive late in the game to help keep USC undefeated
It took South Carolina’s offense a while to really warm up on Tuesday night, but a few big innings late in the game helped the Gamecocks beat North Carolina A&T 11-3 to stay perfect on the season.
USC took a 1-0 lead in the first, when Will McGillis went yard to start the inning. Braylen Wimmer then walked, stole second, and later scored on a single by Gavin Casas to make it a 2-0 game. The Cocks added another run in the third, after Wimmer again walked to start things off and later scored on a two-out single by Ethan Petry, bumping the lead to 3-0. Another Carolina run came in the fifth inning, when Caleb Denny singled to lead things off and came home on another base hit by Casas, making it 4-0.
The Aggies ended the shutout in the seventh, making the score 4-3 thanks to a pair of doubles by Tre Williams and Canyon Brown. The Gamecocks got two of those runs back in the bottom of the inning, though. Denny started things off with a single, Cole Messina walked, and Casas got hit to load the bases with no outs. A flyout from Petry brought Denny in to make it a 5-3 game, then LeCroy hit into a fielder’s choice and Messina came home to push the score to 6-3.
South Carolina scored five more runs in the eighth, breaking the game wide open. McGillis knocked a leadoff double and Wimmer and Denny walked to again load the bases, then Messina doubled and there was an error, clearing the bases and putting the Gamecocks up 9-3. Dylan Brewer walked after that, then Petry flied out get Messina home, making it a 10-3 game, and LeCroy doubled to bring in Brewer for the game’s final run.
USC starter James Hicks worked two innings and didn’t allow any hits or runs. He walked one batter and struck one out. Eli Jones, Nick Proctor, Trey Wheeler, Cade Austin, and Wasley Sweatt also pitched in this game, and Jones got the win, making him 1-0. North Carolina A&T starter Coley Kilpatrick went two innings and gave up two hits and two runs. He walked three batters, struck two out, and took the loss, making him 0-2.
McGillis, Denny, Casas, and Petry all had two hits each, while Petry also tallied three RBI. Five different Aggies got one hit apiece, while Brown recorded two RBI.
The Cocks improve to 9-0, while North Carolina A&T drops to 3-5. Carolina will be back in action on Friday, when they open up the rivalry series in Clemson. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.