Baseball . May 31, 2024

Baseball Walks-Off James Madison in Wild Regional Opener

Game #1

Box Score Box Score (PDF) 2024 Season Stats Postgame Press Conference

RALEIGH – The University of South Carolina baseball team won a 10-inning walk-off thriller, 8-7, over James Madison in game one of the 2024 NCAA Raleigh Regional Friday afternoon (May 31) at Doak Field.

Carolina trailed 7-5 heading into the bottom of the ninth. Austin Brinling reached on a single but was erased on a double play. With two out, Blake Jackson was hit by a pitch and Cole Messina belted the first pitch over the wall in left for his 21^st home run of the season, tying the game at seven.

The Gamecocks retired the side in order in the 10^th. Kennedy Jones led off the bottom of the 10^th with a walk. After a strikeout, Talmadge LeCroy’s sacrifice bunt was thrown away, putting runners on second and third. Will Tippett then had a sacrifice fly to center to score pinch runner Dylan Brewer with the winning run.

Carolina trailed 4-1 in the middle of the fifth. Tippett led off with a home run to left and Blake Jackson hit a two-run home run to right to tie the game at four. The Dukes answered with three runs in the sixth. Kennedy Jones homered in the bottom of the sixth to make it 7-5 where it would remain until the ninth-inning fireworks.

Chris Veach earned the win on the mound, pitching 4.2 innings of relief, striking out four and allowing two runs on four hits. Eli Jones struck out four and allowed four hits in 4.1 innings in a start.

Jones had three hits on the day, while Brinling, LeCroy and Ethan Petry had two hits apiece. Jackson drove in three runs while Tippett and Messina had two RBI apiece.

POSTGAME NOTES

Messina now has 18 RBI in the last six games played and extended his on-base streak to 19 games.
Carolina played its second straight extra-inning game.
Carolina now is 10-1 all-time against James Madison.
The Gamecocks won its first game of the season when trailing after eight innings.

UP NEXT
Carolina will face the NC State/Bryant winner on Saturday night (June 1) at 6 p.m. in game four of the Raleigh Regional at Doak Field. Television designation will be announced later tonight.