Gamecocks’ pitching in flux ahead of Clemson series

Coaches approach rivalries differently. Many put it aside, try to make it just another game. Some lean into it, play it up a little more.

As South Carolina baseball coach Mark Kingston turned his team from a comeback win Tuesday night against Appalachian State to the annual rivalry series with Clemson, he planted himself firmly in the former camp.

“We play one game at a time,” Kingston said. “You know, you always play one game at a time, but with what we’re going through right now, from an injury standpoint, we can’t afford to look ahead any day.”

His team is banged up, but they’re also 7-1 and set to welcome in the undefeated Tigers to town. Clemson (8-0) topped USC Upstate on Tuesday.

Kingston has had an unusual run against South Carolina’s Upstate rivals.

His first and most successful team dropped the final two games of the series in 2018. A win the next year preceded one of the program’s worst seasons in recent memory. The Gamecocks lost in 2020 before the COVID pandemic canceled the season.

USC won the series a year ago, with the final game delayed until May, months after the Gamecocks had clinched the win.

The meeting between the two historically successful programs always raises the passions of both fanbases, but Kingston often shows little emotion. He used a different word to describe his approach when preparing for Friday evening.

“When you get here, you understand what Clemson-South Carolina means and, you know, you give it the respect it deserves, and you give it everything you got,” Kingston said.

Armed and holding on

South Carolina’s pitching staff has been held together with twine and Elmer’s glue for most of the season. And Kingston gave no indication whether that will change when his team faces its biggest challenge of the season.

“No update yet,” Kingston said. “No updates. Just status quo.”

Pitchers like James Hicks, the Saturday starter the first two weeks, and veteran Julian Bosnic have been sidelined. Kingston changed Sunday starters last week with Josiah Sightler dealing with his own ailments. The expectation is that sophomore ace Will Sanders will start Friday night’s game. Beyond that, things aren’t as clear.

The main thing the coach took solace in: No one threw too much in the midweek games, so there is full complement of arms should be ready come this weekend.

“That’s the goal,” Kingston said. “Nobody threw too many pitches where they won’t be available this weekend.”

South Carolina vs Clemson baseball series

• Friday: vs. Clemson at Founders Park, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
• Saturday: vs Clemson at Segra Park, 4 p.m. (ACC Network Extra)
• Sunday: at Clemson at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, 3 p.m. (ACC Network)

This story was originally published March 2, 2022 at 5:00 AM.