USC dropped a series for the first time this season
No. 6 South Carolina had another less-than-stellar day on both offense and defense, falling to No. 4 Vanderbilt 6-4 on Sunday in their first series loss of the season.
The Gamecocks were first on the board, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Ethan Petry went yard to set a new school record for home runs for a freshman with 18. The lead was shortlived though, as the Commodores scored twice in the next inning, first on a double by Parker Noland that tied the game at 1-1, then on a Jonathan Vastine base hit that made the score 2-1.
That score held until USC tied it back up in the top of the sixth, when Dylan Brewer singled to lead off and later scored on a sac fly by Petry, making it 2-2. Vandy answered in the bottom of the inning though, going up 5-2 courtesy of a walk and an error. The Cocks got one run back in the top of the eighth after Brewer got hit by a pitch with one out and Petry doubled to get him home with two outs, making it a 5-3 game, but the Dores added another run of their own in the bottom inning thanks to a homer by Enrique Bradfield Jr., making the score 6-3. Carolina’s final run of the game came in the ninth on a solo shot by Talmadge LeCroy.
Gamecocks starter Matthew Becker worked four innings and allowed four hits and two runs. He also walked three batters and struck out eight. Eli Jones, Cade Austin, James Hicks, and Wesley Sweatt also pitched in this game, and Jones took the loss, making him 4-2. Vanderbilt starter Devin Futrell went 5.1 innings and gave up four hits and two runs. He also issued three walks and struck out seven batters. Reliever Ryan Ginther got the win and is now 2-0.
Petry and Braylen Wimmer paced USC at the plate with two hits each, and Petry also recorded three RBI. Bradfield and RJ Schreck had two hits apiece to lead the Commodores, and four different Vandy players tallied one RBI.
The Cocks are now 30-6 overall and 10-4 in the SEC, while Vandy is 29-7 overall and 13-2 in conference play. South Carolina will be back in action on Tuesday, when they host Charleston Southern. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Founders Park.