Gamecock Baseball Notebook
COLUMBIA – The University of South Carolina baseball team won all four games this past week, defeating USC Upstate on Tuesday and sweeping Vanderbilt at home.
Record: 19-5
SEC: 4-2
Home: 16-1
Away: 2-3
Neutral: 1-1
Streak: W5
Last Week:
3/19/24 – at USC Upstate (W, 14-8)
3/23/24 – Vanderbilt (W, 8-4)
3/23/24 – Vanderbilt (W, 8-3)
3/24/24 – Vanderbilt (W, 10-2)
NOTES:
Ethan Petry was hot this past week, hitting .545 (6-11) with five runs scored, three home runs and eight RBI to go with eight walks and a .737 on-base percentage. Petry, who has a 34-game reached base streak dating back to last year, homered twice in Saturday’s 8-3 win over Vanderbilt and now has 10 on the year.
Tyler Pitzer was great in his first start as a Gamecock, allowing just three hits and two unearned runs with nine strikeouts and one walk in 6.1 innings pitched in a 10-2 win on Sunday. Pitzer retired the first 10 Commodores in his first start. Pitzer also threw two innings in relief in Tuesday’s 14-8 win over USC Upstate and now has a 0.48 ERA this season.
Cole Messina had six extra-base hits on the week in the four wins. He was 4-for-5 with three doubles and a home run against USC Upstate on Tuesday. He homered and drove in two runs in the 8-3 win over Vandy on Saturday. Messina now leads the team with 25 RBI on the year.
Garrett Gainey had a hand in three of the four wins this week. He recorded saves in both ends of a doubleheader on Saturday and struck out six while not allowing a hit or walk in 3.2 innings pitched. Gainey now has four saves and a 0.64 ERA on the year.
Eli Jones had a solid start in the series opener against Vanderbilt. He retired the first 18 batters of the game before allowing a single to open the seventh. In 6.1 innings, Jones allowed just the one hit with two runs and four strikeouts. Jones is 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA and 23 strikeouts this season.
Carolina hosts Presbyterian on Tuesday night before visiting Alabama on Easter weekend.
Next Week
3/26/24 – Presbyterian, 6:30 p.m. (SECN+)
3/28/24 – at Alabama, 8 p.m. (SEC Network)
3/29/24 – at Alabama, 7 p.m. (SECN+)
3/30/24 – at Alabama, 2 p.m. (SECN+)
