Farr, Gamecocks shut down Mercer for eighth straight win
Much of the early-season conversation surrounding No. 14 South Carolina has been focused on slugger Wes Clarke and the team’s gaudy offensive numbers — and for good reason.
Heading into Friday night’s series opener against Mercer, Clarke led the country with eight homers, and the Gamecocks ranked first in the nation in slugging percentage and homers per game, second in batting average and eighth in scoring with 10.1 runs per game. Through the first seven games, USC outscored opponents 71-28.
But South Carolina can do more than just mash home runs. On Friday night — with runs tougher to come by — Mark Kingston’s Gamecocks showed they can win tighter games, too.
Spearheaded by a strong start by junior ace right-hander Thomas Farr, the Gamecocks defeated Mercer, 5-1, moving to a perfect 8-0. The eight straight wins to start the season are the most for USC since the team won its first 10 games in 2016.
“I told our guys I thought that was just a good blue-collar win tonight,” Kingston said. “Obviously, offensively we weren’t explosive, but we did just enough to win. And our pitching and defense was excellent, and that carried the night.”
One of the several power arms that has garnered national attention for South Carolina, Farr lit up the Founders Park radar gun yet again, touching 97 miles per hour in an electric first inning before settling into 93-94 mph for most of the contest. Mixing in a hard-biting slider, Farr allowed just one run on six hits and three walks and struck out five in 5.1 innings before losing his command just a touch.
“Very workman-like,” Kingston said of Farr’s performance. “I think once he got up into the 80s (pitch count) on a cold night, it just wasn’t quite as sharp. He was very sharp early on.”
On the other side, Mercer right-hander Tommy Green held the Gamecock offense in check through the early innings, relying on a low, deceptive arm angle to flummox Gamecocks hitters and hold them scoreless through three innings.
However, Green’s luck ran out in the fourth when he hung a breaking ball to USC sophomore Braylen Wimmer, who drove it over the left-field fence for a two-run shot.
Wimmer, who opened the year in the outfield but has played second base in senior Jeff Heinrich’s (ankle) absence, ranks second on the team with four homers. Kingston said the long, lean 6-foot-4 Wimmer is hitting for more power than even he expected, praising the sophomore for his growth and offseason work.
“I’ve been working really hard in the weight room, on my swing,” Wimmer said. “My teammates, everybody’s been helping me out a bunch. So it’s not a surprise to me. I’ve worked my butt off.”
An inning later, Farr made one of his few mistakes of the game, leaving a pitch down the middle for Mercer first baseman Angelo DiSpigna, who drove in Mercer’s lone run with a double. But the Gamecocks quickly responded in the bottom half of the fifth, with Andrew Eyster singling in a run and another USC run scoring on a bases-loaded hit by pitch of Colin Burgess.
Mercer put a brief scare in the Gamecocks in the top of the sixth when catcher Collin Price ripped what was initially ruled a two-run homer near the left-field foul pole. But Kingston came out to argue that the ball curved foul, and the umpires agreed, changing the ruling, then confirming it through replay review.
Andrew Peters relieved Farr with one out in the sixth and was electric in his own right, striking out five hitters and allowing no hits in 2.2 scoreless innings. Reliever Jack Mahoney finished off the game with a perfect ninth inning.
“It seemed like it was closer than 5-1 the whole time,” Wimmer said. “And big credit to our pitchers. They dealt all night. We battled at the plate and scratched some runs across, but the pitchers were the guys tonight.”
NEXT USC BASEBALL GAME
Who: No. 14 South Carolina (8-0) vs. Mercer (3-5)
When: 4 p.m. Saturday
Where: Founders Park
Watch: Streaming online on SEC Network Plus via WatchESPN
This story was originally published March 5, 2021 at 7:22 PM.
