Ninth-Inning Outburst Lifts Baseball to Series Win over Mississippi State

STARKVILLE  – Fueled by a seven-run ninth inning and 17 hits on the day, the University of South Carolina baseball team clinched the three-game series win over Mississippi State with a 14-5 victory Saturday afternoon (April 1) at Dudy Noble Field.

For the second straight day, Braylen Wimmer took the first pitch he saw into the seats in right field, giving the Gamecocks the early 1-0 lead. Gavin Casas then homered after Wimmer to make it 2-0 Gamecocks. Dylan Brewer made it 3-0 in the second with a solo home run to center.

Mississippi State scored the next four runs, taking a one-run lead after six innings of play. Cole Messina’s RBI single tied the game at four in the seventh. Then in the eighth, Ethan Petry’s bases-clearing double gave Carolina a 7-4 lead. The Bulldogs scored a run in the bottom of the eighth before Carolina’s ninth-inning outburst.

Michael Braswell opened the ninth by reaching on an error. A walk and bunt single from Evan Stone followed. Wimmer brought in two with a long single, then Casas and Petry followed with RBI singles. Messina and Caleb Denny had RBI doubles in the frame.

James Hicks earned the win in relief, striking out four and allowing four hits and a run in 2.2 innings. Jack Mahoney struck out three and allowed five hits and an earned run in five innings of work.

POSTGAME NOTES

• The top three in the lineup (Wimmer, Casas and Petry) went 9-for-16 with seven runs and nine RBI.
• Carolina wins a series in Starkville for the first time since 2011.
• Wimmer upped his season batting average to .3423 with eight home runs and 28 RBI.
• Petry now leads Carolina with 42 RBI to go along with his .442 batting average.
• The Carolina pitching staff lowered its ERA to 3.08 in the win.

UP NEXT
Carolina makes its second trip to Truist Field in Charlotte, N.C., as the Gamecocks will face North Carolina Tuesday night (April 4) at 7 p.m. The game will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.