Gamecocks pummel Presbyterian for first midweek win of 2020
South Carolina’s undefeated start to the baseball season continued Wednesday as the Gamecocks pounded Presbyterian 14-3 at Founders Park in their first midweek game of 2020.
Coach Mark Kingston’s club scored in five of the eight innings and piled on without much in the way of power at the plate — the Gamecocks (4-0) had 15 hits, 13 of them singles, eight walks, four stolen bases and three sacrifice hits.
“We just want to have an offense that just grinds on you,” Kingston said. “And every out we make is a tough out, and when we get on base we can make things happen.”
Key inning
After scoring two quick runs in the first inning, the Gamecocks broke the game wide open in the second with a lot of small ball — two singles and a swinging bunt put runners on second and third, and an infield single from freshman second baseman Braylen Wimmer scored one. A wild pitch then plated another, and junior outfielder Noah Campbell stole second, forcing a poor throw from the catcher and allowing a third run to score.
Finally, a Presbyterian error and USC double steal set up a sacrifice fly from sophomore first baseman Wes Clarke, making it 6-0.
Box score highlight
South Carolina’s starting pitchers have 29 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings through four games and have won every contest of the year so far after junior right-hander Thomas Farr struck out five and allowed just one walk and one hit through four innings Wednesday.
Farr ran into a little trouble in the fifth, giving up a two-run home run, and left with two outs after hitting his pitch count while working his way back from Tommy John surgery. He still hit 96 mph on his fastball despite the cold conditions.
“I felt like I pitched pretty well. It’s actually been over a full year since I’ve pitched in a real live game, battled a few injuries, but overall with the weather, I feel like I pitched really good,” Farr said. “My arm felt pretty good, a little flimsy. But overall, for my first time back in a year, I thought it was a very good step forward, very positive.”
Junior Andrew Peters, who was set to start a midweek game as well until Tuesday’s contest with Winthrop was rained out, struck out one and walked one in the ninth to finish off the win.
“He’s not quite as far along as Farr coming off the injury, but he’s on schedule,” Kingston said of Peters. “His fastball was in that 90-91 range, he’ll be in that range that Farr was today once he’s fully back. But he threw strikes for the most part, had a quick, clean inning, so we’ll take that.”
Stars of the game
Six different Gamecocks had multi-hit games, led by Noah Campbell, who put up a career-high four RBIs and tied his career best with three runs on 2-for-5 hitting. Senior shortstop George Callil went 3-for-4 with three runs and a double.
Campbell had the biggest hit of the night for USC in the fifth when he tripled to left-center field as the Presbyterian defender misjudged the ball, scoring two. He came around to score on a single from junior designated hitter Bryant Bowen, who also had two hits.
WHEN DO THE GAMECOCKS PLAY NEXT?
Who: South Carolina (4-0) vs. Northwestern (1-2)
When: 4 p.m. Friday
Where: Founders Park
TV: Streaming online on SEC Network Plus via WatchESPN
Radio: 107.5 FM in Columbia area
This story was originally published February 19, 2020 at 7:24 PM.
