What to watch for as the Gamecocks open NCAA regional play against red-hot Virginia
Editor’s note: Sunday’s South Carolina vs. Virginia elimination game is at noon Sunday on ESPNU
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The advantage is obvious.
Being able to play in its home ballpark, even as a No. 2 seed, the South Carolina baseball team should have the full weight of the Founders Park crowd behind it as it begins NCAA tournament play Friday at noon. It will be the first time a regional has been played in Columbia since 2016.
But there’s also a significant disadvantage that comes with playing as the No. 2 seed. Instead of opening play against a No. 4 Jacksonville team that has the worst record in the 64-team bracket (16-32), the Gamecocks will take on one of the hottest teams in the country in No. 3 seed Virginia (29-23) — and will have to face one of the most electric pitchers in the country in lefty Andrew Abbott.
It’s by no means an easy matchup, especially in a double-elimination tournament where a single loss creates a difficult — though not insurmountable — path to winning. It speaks volumes that the Gamecocks will first turn to veteran right-hander Brett Kerry, who has been the Gamecocks’ most valuable pitcher throughout much of the season.
“He’s been our best pitcher here down the stretch, and I don’t think that’s breaking news,” head coach Mark Kingston said. “He’s been really good. In a game against Virginia where you’re facing one of the best pitchers in the country that’s how you need to match up. So, pretty easy decision for us.”
Kerry has gone 5-1 with a 1.90 ERA this season while serving as a both a closer and starter for the Gamecocks. A shutout against Kentucky in the penultimate SEC series of the season and a strong outing against Tennessee in his final start propelled him to the top of the pecking order.
On the other side, the Gamecocks will have their hands full against Abbott, a senior lefty who blossomed into an ace for the Cavaliers this spring, striking out 136 batters in 89 innings and posting an 8-5 record with a 2.63 ERA. Abbott can touch up to 95 mph with his fastball and boasts one of the better curveballs in the nation. Kingston is familiar with Abbott from having coached him with Team USA
“He’s electric. We had him on the Team USA team two years ago, and he threw some real big innings for us, especially against Japan,” Kingston said. “He’s the real deal, big-time pro prospect. He’s going to pitch in the big leagues, so it’s going to be a great matchup. Him and Brett Kerry might be one of the best matchups in the country to start a regional.”
The winners of Friday’s game will play Saturday against the winner of No. 1 seed Old Dominion vs. Jacksonville.
The week away for South Carolina
The Gamecocks are no strangers to elite arms and high-powered matchups. Kingston has said repeatedly that he believes USC has played the toughest schedule in the country, and USC ranks third in strength of schedule on WarrenNolan.com.
However, the Gamecocks struggled to hit power pitching down the stretch, losing four of their final five SEC series as a result. They lasted just one game in the SEC tournament, losing to Alabama. Meanwhile, Virginia has gone on a different trajectory entirely, winning their final four ACC series and flexing their offensive power in a deep run the ACC tournament.
Knowing they needed to get back on track offensively heading into the NCAA tournament, the Gamecocks spent their week away working on their offensive fundamentals and preparing for the lefty Abbott.
“We took some live at-bats against our better arms and practiced situational hitting and being aggressive and really taking those team at-bats,” leadoff hitter Brady Allen said. “And I think we’ve really progressed in the short amount of time we had.”
Allen, the team’s starting center fielder, is one of the key cogs in the lineup, along with fellow outfielder Andrew Eyster and slugger Wes Clarke, who is tied for the national lead with 22 home runs. When those three have clicked, the Gamecocks have played some of their best baseball of the season, especially in the opening months when they started with 11 straight wins.
The hope is that a week of practice will help the Gamecocks snap back into focus at the plate. The time away was also beneficial for health reasons. The starting left side of the infield, shortstop George Callil and Brennan Milone have both missed games while nursing injuries in recent weeks. Kingston said Thursday he expects both to play. Second baseman Braylen Wimmer has played at less than 100%, and Kingston said he should be ready to go as well.
The return of the Scythe?
Kingston has not yet coached his team in Columbia during an NCAA regional, and he said Thursday that after watching highlight clips for years, he’s excited to experience the atmosphere for himself.
“I can’t wait to see the environment,” Kingston said. “I’m just anxious to see it. I’m anxious to feel it and be a part of it. Founders Park is special and our fans are special.”
Part of that lively atmosphere stems from the Gamecocks themselves, who have shown a looseness throughout the season. Their go-to prop is a scythe that they pass around to each other in the dugout after home runs. Allen, one of the masterminds of that scythe, said fans should expect to see it this weekend.
“It’s definitely going to be in the dugout,” Allen said. “It’s sharpened and ready for battle. Hopefully it’s gonna be a graveyard out there, the next couple of days. It just keeps us loose, really. No one wants to be tight, so we really feed off that, and it’s really cool hitting a home run and getting to carry that thing in.”
Watch: Columbia NCAA Regional coverage
Who: No. 2-seed South Carolina (33-21, 16-14 SEC) vs. No. 3-seed Virginia (29-23, 18-18 ACC)
When: Noon Friday
Where: Founders Park in Columbia
Watch: ESPN2
Probable starting pitchers: South Carolina, Brett Kerry (Jr. RHP) 5-1,1.90 ERA, 9 BB, 83 SO ... Virginia, Andrew Abbott (Sr., LHP) 8-5, 2.63 ERA, 28 BB, 136 SO
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Who: No. 1-seed Old Dominion (42-14, 22-10 Conference USA) vs. No. 4-seed Jacksonville (16-32, 3-15 ASUN)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Founders Park
Watch: ESPN3 (streaming)
Probable starting pitchers: TBD
This story was originally published June 3, 2021 at 2:51 PM.
