USC men’s golf team advances to NCAA Championship; softball team eliminated

At Bremerton, Wash., the top-seeded South Carolina men’s golf team secured its third-straight trip to the NCAA Championship with a strong run on the back nine in the final round of the NCAA Bremerton Regional on Saturday at Gold Mountain Golf Club’s Olympic Course.

As a team, the Gamecocks shot a combined 13-under on the final nine holes to post a total of 274 (-14) to finish the tournament in second place with a 54-hole total of 845 (-19). The four Gamecocks whose scores counted on Saturday combined to shoot 15-under on the back nine without making a bogey.

With the second-place finish, USC advances to the NCAA Championship, which will be held May 29 through June 3 at Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Fla.

“It was very impressive,” South Carolina head coach Bill McDonald said. “At the turn we were maybe on the number or just outside the number looking like we might not even qualify. Then a few holes into the back nine we had a chance to win the golf tournament. We just went nuts on the back nine.”

Four Gamecocks posted rounds in the 60s on Saturday, with junior Matt NeSmith leading the way. NeSmith fired a bogey-free 67 to finish tied for seventh with a total of 210 (-6).

UAB won the regional with a total of 843 (-21), while Southern California (847), TCU (854) and Washington (854) finished third and tied for fourth, respectively, to advance to the NCAA Championship.

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS

T7. Matthew NeSmith (1) 71-72-67=210 (-6)

T10. Will Starke (2) 73-70-69=212 (-4)

T20. Sean Kelly (5) 71-68-75=214 (-2)

T28. Will Murphy (3) 73-75-69=217 (+1)

T33. Caleb Sturgeon (4) 77-73-69=219 (+3)

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS

1. UAB 280-285-278=843 (-21)

2. South Carolina 288-283-274=845 (-19)

3. Southern California 281-288-278=847 (-17)

T4. TCU 281-283-290=854 (-10)

T4. Washington 287-290-277=854 (-10)

6. Baylor 293-280-289=862 (-2)

7. Michigan 292-288-283=863 (-1)

8. Iowa State 287-287-295=869 (+5)

T9. VCU 304-288-278=870 (+6)

T9. UC Davis 289-295-286=870 (+6)

11. Pepperdine 292-295-293=880 (+16)

12. Sam Houston State 300-295-288=883 (+19)

13. Cleveland State 305-291-295=891 (+27)

14. South Dakota 298-304-296=898 (+34)

Softball: UCF ends season for Gamecocks

At Tallahassee, Fla., South Carolina had the tying run to the plate in its final at-bat, but No. 13 UCF (50-8) finished with a 5-2 victory in Saturday’s second elimination game in the Tallahassee Regional, ending the Gamecocks’ season. Gamecock sophomore Nickie Blue (20-9) took the loss, giving up 10 hits, five earned runs and a walk with three strikeouts. USC (38-22) improved its win total for the third straight year.

Earlier, two first-inning runs held up for South Carolina (38-21), as the Gamecocks eliminated Dartmouth (25-18) from the regional with a 3-1 win. Gamecock senior Julie Sarratt (18-12) scattered five hits and an earned run in the complete-game win. She struck out two and didn’t walk a batter.