Baseball . May 6, 2024

Baseball Closes Midweek Schedule at Winthrop

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FOR STARTERS

South Carolina plays its final midweek game of 2024, heading to Rock Hill for a Tuesday night (May 7) game at Winthrop.
Tuesday’s game starts at 6 p.m. at Winthrop Ballpark.
Tuesday’s game will be streamed on ESPN+.
Tuesday’s game also will be on the Gamecock Sports Network presented by Learfield with Derek Scott and Stuart Lake on the call.

SCOUTING WINTHROP

The Eagles split a two-game rain-shortened series with Radford on Sunday, winning the first game 8-6 before falling 5-4 in the nightcap.
Jaylen Hernandez was 3-for-4 in the win over the Highlanders.
Hernandez and Nicholas Badillo each have six home runs and 26 RBI on the year.
Winthrop lefty Riley Huge on Tuesday. Huge has 95 strikeouts in 56.2 innings pitched.
Tom Riginos is in his 14th season at Winthrop. During his time at Rock Hill, Winthrop has had 38 All-Big South selections.

SERIES VS. WINTHROP

Carolina leads the all-time series with Winthrop 26-7.
The Gamecocks are 6-2 in games in Rock Hill.
Carolina won 12-2 over the Eagles Feb. 20 in Columbia. Talmadge LeCroy was 3-for-3 with five runs scored in that win.

WHERE WE STAND

Carolina is currently tied with Georgia for third in the SEC East with matching 13-11 records. Overall, Carolina is tied for sixth with the Bulldogs.
Carolina has a No. 13 RPI and a No. 12 strength of schedule as of May 6. That is the sixth best RPI in the SEC.
The Gamecocks have nine wins in Q1 games.

MESSINA NAMED SEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Cole Messina was named the SEC Player of the Week on May 6.
Messina had a red-hot week, going 9-for-14 with seven runs scored, two doubles, a triple, three home runs, two stolen bases and 10 RBI in four games. Messina also walked three times for a .722 on-base percentage.
He had five RBI in Friday night’s 10-2 win and was 2-for-3 with three RBI in the East Tennessee State win. Messina ended the weekend with a 3-for-5 game with a double and a home run in the come-from-behind 9-4 victory.
This is Messina’s first SEC Player of the Week honor. It is also the first for the Gamecocks since Ethan Petry earned the award on April 10, 2023.

GAINEY, GOOD EXCEL IN MIZZOU SERIES

Garrett Gainey struck out 10 and allowed just two hits and no runs in six innings in a pair of games at Missouri May 3 and 5.
Gainey had five strikeouts in 2.1 innings in Friday’s 10-2 win. He struck out five again, allowing just one hit in 3.2 innings in Sunday’s 9-4 win.
Good earned the win on Friday night, pitching four innings of relief and allowing just one hit with seven strikeouts and two walks.
Good is now 5-1 on the year with a 2.68 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 43.2 innings.
Gainey has six saves and 49 strikeouts in 33 innings of work.

GAMECOCK DUO ON MIDSEASON WATCH LISTS

Cole Messina was named to the Buster Posey Award Midseason Watch List.
The award is given to the best Division I catcher in the country.
Messina has a team-best 17 doubles to go along with 14 home runs and 49 RBI this season.
Garrett Gainey was named to the NCBWA Midseason Stopper of the Year Watch List.
The award is handed out to the best relief pitcher in Division I baseball.
Gainey is tied for second in the SEC with six saves and has 49 strikeouts in 33 innings pitched.

PETRY: 30 FOR (41)

Sophomore Ethan Petry hit a home run in the 9-4 win over Missouri on May 5, his 41st career home run as a Gamecock.
Petry is now a tie for ninth place on Carolina’s all-time home runs list and is the 29th Gamecock to hit 30 or more home runs in a career.
The last player to achieve that feat was Braylen Wimmer (2020-23), who had 32 career home runs. Wes Clarke (2019-21) also had 32 home runs in his Gamecock career.
Petry needs one more home run to tie Steve Pearce (2004-05) and Phil Disher (2005-08) for seventh place on Carolina’s all-time list.

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUP
Tuesday
South Carolina Tyler Pitzer (Fr. RHP) 4-1, 4.31 ERA, 31.1 IP, 16 BB, 44 SO
Winthrop Connor Harris (Gr. RHP) 0-0, 7.50 ERA, 6.0 IP, 4 BB, 3 SO

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