Ethan Petry heroics key in Gamecocks’ come-from-behind victory over Morehead State
Ethan Petry saved South Carolina during its 11-7 win over Morehead State on Friday at Founders Park.
All night, the Gamecocks kept falling behind. They were down in the second inning. They were still down in the seventh, when Petry smoked an RBI single to right, giving USC its first lead of the night.
The Gamecocks (12-3) were down again a half inning later, when Petry limited the damage by catching a fly ball in right and firing a laser to throw out a Morehead State (6-6) runner at home.
It left the door open for the Gamecocks’ bats to come through in the eighth. Jordan Carrion tied the game. Blake Jackson’s RBI single gave USC the lead.
And then there was Petry, ready to clean up the meal he cooked. The Gamecocks slugger mashed his 49th-career home run — which puts him all by himself in second for the program HR record — 420 feet into the left-field bleachers.
A barn-burner turned into a four-run victory — all thanks to the hero wearing No. 20.
“I told Ethan after the game that what he did tonight is something that’s gonna carry him through in professional baseball,” South Carolina coach Paul Mainieri said. “His first two at-bats were not very good. ... A lesser person would hang their head and feel sorry for themselves.”
Here are three other observations from the Gamecocks’ win on Friday night.
Starter Matthew Becker struggles
South Carolina ace Matthew Becker struggled for the second straight game. After giving up four runs in 3.1 innings last Friday against Clemson, Becker looked smooth this time out ... until he didn’t.
After retiring the first three Morehead State batters in about three minutes, the middle of the Eagles’ order had no trouble hitting Becker. He allowed a leadoff triple in the second inning and gave up singles to the next three hitters. All four would score before Mainieri pulled Becker after just five outs in the game.
“It was just one of those innings where things just kind of unraveled on him,” Mainieri said.
It was a concerning outing after a Clemson series that, while the Gamecocks were swept, the pitching staff was solid — especially the starters, who allowed seven combined earned runs against the Tigers.
The positive Friday night, though, was Brandon Stone. The sophomore reliever, thrust into unexpected action in the second inning, threw a gem — and helped save the Gamecocks’ bullpen for the weekend. The big 6-foot-6 righty tossed 5.2 innings for USC, giving up two earned runs and five hits while striking out nine.
“When I come into the game, my goal is to finish the game,” Stone said. “I actually told (Mainieri) I was going to hand him the ball back (at the end of the game), but lost it a little bit there at the end.”
Added Mainieri: “We wouldn’t have won tonight if it wasn’t for the effort by Brandon Stone, who was just phenomenal.”
Errors hurt Gamecocks
Paul Mainieri, since the day he became South Carolina’s coach, has expressed how much he values defense on his baseball teams. If you can’t field, you can’t play for Mainieri.
South Carolina came into Friday’s game with Morehead State as a decent defensive team, having committed 11 errors in 14 games and ranking 58th nationally in fielding percentage (.977).
USC committed three errors on Friday, including two from shortstop Henry Kaczmar. And that didn’t even include a fly ball bouncing off the glove of center fielder Nathan Hall that led to Morehead State taking the lead in the eighth inning.
It’s not time to start worrying about South Carolina’s defense, but the Gamecocks certainly haven’t been as crisp as you’d expect from a Mainieri-coached team.
Kennedy Jones makes impressive return
A week ago, in South Carolina’s loss to Clemson, Jones slid head first into home plate in the third inning and his left shoulder thudded on the ground. Jones willed himself to play that Saturday but then missed Sunday’s contest and the Gamecocks’ two midweek games this week.
“I was itching to get back on the field,” Jones said.
He returned on Friday, hitting cleanup and playing left field. And, well, his shoulder didn’t seem to be an issue.
The senior finished the night 3 for 4 with a pair of doubles, two RBIs, two runs and a walk.
Upcoming South Carolina baseball schedule
- Saturday: vs. Morehead State, 4 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
- Sunday: vs. Morehead State, 1:30 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
- March 12 vs. Georgia State, 6:30 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
- March 14 vs. Oklahoma, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
March 15 vs. Oklahoma, 4 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
March 16 vs. Oklahoma, 1:30 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
This story was originally published March 7, 2025 at 9:53 PM.
