One step closer: Roth, Gamecocks take Game 1

One down, one to go. They’ve been in this position before.

Once upon a time, there probably were reasons to fear a downfall.

Now?

Nevermore.

USC moved to within one game of its third consecutive trip to the College World Series with Saturday’s 5-0 win against Oklahoma at a raucous Carolina Stadium in the opener of their best-of-three super regional.

It has been 10 years since the Gamecocks lost a game in Columbia in the postseason, long before guys such as Christian Walker, Michael Roth and Evan Marzilli came along. Considering the equity this program is accruing — 20 consecutive postseason victories, 23 straight home playoff wins — the time is rapidly approaching when opponents might consider USC virtually unassailable in Columbia.

“You get to a point where you feel you’re going to find a way,” USC coach Ray Tanner said. “It takes time to get to that point and you have to have the players that make that happen with their mindset and their approach.

“No matter what happens we feel we have an opportunity,” he continued. “Whether we get it done or not, we feel like we can, and that’s the key.”

The Gamecocks’ three-run second inning was all that was necessary for starter Roth, who was making his final career start at the park. Shaky at times, but beguiling when he needed to be, Roth bulled his way through 72/3 shutout innings to pick up the win.

Adam Matthews led off the decisive second with a walk. He moved to third on Erik Payne’s single and scored on LB Dantzler’s double. Payne then scored when Oklahoma starter Jordan John uncorked a wild pitch. Dantzler moved to third on the errant pitch and scored on Chase Vergason’s sacrifice fly.

“It’s very important to go out there and establish an early lead like that,” Marzilli said. “Especially in a game like this when you have a veteran pitcher on the mound and some veteran players on the team.”

It was just the elixir for Roth, who struggled with his command for most of the night and found himself pitching out of jams. The Sooners threatened in the second, fourth and fifth innings, but each time Roth coaxed a necessary inning-ending fly ball or soft grounder.

In trouble once more during the seventh after issuing a leadoff walk, Roth conned the Sooners into a pop fly foul and a fielder’s choice before fanning No. 9 hitter Tanner Toal. He finally took his leave with two outs in the eighth to a thunderous standing ovation.

Oklahoma coach Sunny Golloway gambled early by pulling John after the ineffective second inning in favor of projected Game 3 starter Dillon Overton. The gambit appeared to work after Overton provided four scoreless innings before tiring in the seventh to keep the Sooners within striking distance.

USC tacked on a pair of insurance runs with two outs in the seventh when Joey Pankake and Walker each slapped run-scoring singles.

Overton threw 101 pitches in six innings of relief, keeping Oklahoma’s bullpen fully stocked. Tyler Webb finished up for USC, quietly recording the final four outs for Roth.

In the end, Golloway labeled Roth’s performance as “poetic justice” for a career well done and did not mince words when stating the Carolina Stadium environment and the stature of USC’s program were players on Saturday night.

“First and foremost, wow,” Golloway said. “What an environment. I’ve been to a lot of regionals and played at some tough places on the road. But, wow, what a terrific environment. I told the guys down the line to embrace it. How fun is this?”

It would be an easy thing to think all the winning has become routine to the USC veterans, that being in this position — one win from Omaha — is just another day at the office.

That would be wrong, according to Walker.

“We kind of know what to expect,” he said. “Maybe in certain situations we’re more calm and poised, but overall we’re excited. We’re amped up. This is what it’s all about and no matter how many times you go through it, it’s not going to take anything away from it.”

One more win. History is on the line and the South Carolina natives are anxious.

But Tanner knows: This team has the college baseball world by the tail.

“We could get boat-raced two days in a row, but the point is, our guys understand what’s going on,” he said. “They get it. There’s not going to be tremendous anxiety and tension and nerves.

“We just go out and play baseball well enough to win a game,” he concluded. “We don’t have the nerves and things that would factor into the game. Maybe we did years ago, but not now.”

Full box score: USC vs. Oklahoma, Game 1

This story was originally published June 10, 2012 at 1:21 AM with the headline "One step closer: Roth, Gamecocks take Game 1."