Gamecock Baseball Notebook
COLUMBIA – The University of South Carolina baseball team opened the 2025 campaign with a three-game sweep of Sacred Heart at Ray Tanner Field at Founders Park.
Record: 3-0
SEC: 0-0
Home: 3-0
Away: 0-0
Neutral: 0-0
Streak: W3
Last Week:
2/14/25 – Sacred Heart (W, 5-3)
2/15/25 – Sacred Heart (W, 14-0 (7))
2/16/25 – Sacred Heart (W, 8-0)
NOTES:
Carolina’s pitching staff stole the show this weekend in the Sacred Heart series. The staff struck out 45 batters while walking just four and allowing just three runs, all in the opener. The starting pitching trio of Dylan Eskew, Matthew Becker and Jake McCoy each struck out nine batters in their first start of the season. McCoy did not allow a hit while walking just one while Becker allowed one infield single and did not walk a batter.
Ethan Petry picked up where he left off, belting a home run to straightaway center field on Opening Day. Petry now has 45 home runs in his Carolina career, which is tied for fourth all-time in the Gamecock record book with Jeff Parnell (1990-93). Petry also had a double, his second career triple and three walks in the series.
Head Coach Paul Mainieri picked up his first win as the South Carolina head baseball coach on Friday night. The series sweep gave him 1,508 career wins, which is now tied for sixth place on the all-time wins list for head coaches with Larry Hays (Texas Tech, Lubbock Christian).
The Gamecocks dedicated Ray Tanner Field at Founders Park on Saturday in a pre-game ceremony. The two-time national champion head coach and former players from every team he coached in Columbia were on field for the ceremony and his first pitch. Tanner’s signature is behind home plate with interlocking SC logos on each side.
Nathan Hall was the offensive performer of the weekend and it was capped with a four-RBI performance in Sunday’s 8-0 win. Hall hit a three-run home run to left in the sixth inning. He also had a sacrifice fly in the second.
Carolina has five games this week, weather permitting. The Gamecocks are at Winthrop on Tuesday, host Queens on Wednesday and host Milwaukee for a three-game series this weekend.
Next Week
2/18/25 – at Winthrop, 4 p.m. (ESPN+)
2/19/25 – Queens, 4 p.m. (SECN+)
2/21/25 – Milwaukee, 4 p.m. (SECN+)
2/22/25 – Milwaukee, 2 p.m. (SECN+)
2/23/25 – Milwaukee, 1:30 p.m. (SECN+)
