Monte Lee’s debut provides spark for Gamecocks, but Arkansas edges USC to take series

There was a different kind of vibe around Founders Park on Saturday afternoon than there was just about 18 hours earlier.

South Carolina and head baseball coach Paul Mainieri parted ways Saturday morning after the Gamecocks suffered an embarrassing loss on Friday night and a brutal but brief tenure for the Hall of Fame coach that lasted less than two full seasons.

The largest crowd outside of the Clemson game was on hand to encourage the Gamecocks and interim head coach Monte Lee. Unfortunately, it was another gut punch in a season that has delivered several blows.

South Carolina was one out from securing a much-needed win, but a ninth-inning error tied the game and No. 4 Arkansas eventually won 3-2 in 10 innings and clinched the series. It wasted a stellar performance by Gamecocks starting pitcher Amp Phillips.

“It’s unfortunate when we had the lead there with two outs in the ninth and we didn’t make a play that tied the ball game,” Lee said. “We just couldn’t come up with a hit and find a way to win the game.”

It’s the seventh-straight loss for the Gamecocks, who dropped to 12-12 on the season and matched the 0-5 start in SEC play they had in 2025. Arkansas is 18-6 overall (4-1 SEC).

“We have to do a better job as a program and as a team of being able to move on. We didn’t play there at the end of the game, and it was a gut punch,” Lee said. “We have to be able to move on and as the head coach I have to develop that toughness in the team. They fought as hard as they could today.”

Phillips is the unquestioned ace of the staff

There might be some debate going forward but through six weekends that includes a series with Clemson and two SEC series, it looks like Phillips is the best starting pitcher on the staff by a longshot.

Arkansas rang up 22 runs and six home runs on a Friday night blistering of the Gamecocks. It was far different on Saturday against Phillips. The Razorbacks only had three hits off the USC Upstate transfer in seven innings. He struck out six and walked two in lowering his ERA to 2.32.

Several balls were hit hard but Phillips received plenty of help from his defense. Tyler Bak robbed Maika Niu of a solo home run in the fourth inning when he reached over the yellow line and hauled in what was a certain home run off the bat. One inning later, Kuhiu Aloy hit a line drive towards left field, but third baseman Patrick Evans dove to the left to make the diving grab.

Phillips threw 87 pitches with 58 of them being strikes.

“We couldn’t have asked for more out of Amp Phillips. He was absolutely tremendous,” Lee said. “He gave us everything he could have possibly given us today.”

Alex Valentin ended up being the tough luck losing pitcher. He pitched the final three innings and allowed two runs, one earned. Arkansas secured the winning run after TJ Pompey doubled to open the frame, moved to third on an infield single and scored on an infield groundout deep in the hole between first and second.

Finding some offense

Facts are facts, and this South Carolina offense has not fared well against Power Four competition. In eight games against teams from the SEC and ACC, the Gamecocks were outscored by a total of 53-21. Scoring under three runs per game will likely not win many games against elite programs.

Combine that with losses to Northern Kentucky, Army, Queens, The Citadel and Charlotte in the non-SEC schedule, and a change was needed in the direction of the program and along with finding a spark that can turn things around.

So where does the offense come from?

The trio of Will Craddock, Talmadge LeCroy and KJ Scobey should be a starting point, but those three combined to go 1-for-13 in the loss on Saturday.

Beau Hollins had three hits of the seven hits on Saturday and could be coming out of a season-long funk. He drove in the first run with an RBI single that scored Luke Yuhasz in the fifth inning. Hollins scored the second run after he doubled and scored when Tyler Bak singled off the wall in right field with two outs in the seventh inning.

“Proud of Beau Hollins today. He did a great job down in the order. He’s been scuffling some this year but he’s swinging the bat better here lately,” Lee said. “Tyler Bak came up with a big hit later in the ball game.”

Coaching staff changes

With Mainieri out after 23 games, it looks like Lee will be interim coach the remainder of the season. One immediate change that Lee made: He let pitching coach Terry Rooney call the pitches. That is something that catcher Talmadge LeCroy has been doing this season.

Joe Hendry continued to coach third base, but graduate assistant Caleb Westfall was the first base coach. Director of operations and player development Chris Gordon is the fifth coach on staff currently.

No players were made available for postgame interviews.

South Carolina baseball schedule: Upcoming games

• Sunday, March 22: vs. Arkansas, 1:30 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
• Tuesday, March 24: vs. North Carolina (Charlotte, NC), 6:30 p.m. (ACC Network Extra)
• Friday, March 27: at Georgia, 6 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
• Saturday, March 28: at Georgia, 2 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
• Sunday, March 29: at Georgia, 1 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)