Gamecocks sweep Missouri behind Gene Cone’s big day
South Carolina right fielder Gene Cone broke the school record for consecutive games with a hit in emphatic fashion Sunday afternoon to lead the Gamecocks to a 9-2 win over Missouri and a series sweep.
The junior went 5-for-5 with two doubles, a triple and four RBIs to extend his hitting streak to 27 games. Whit Merrifield previously held the streak, hitting safely in 26 straight games over the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
“I’m just very grateful and very thankful to be a part of something like that,” Cone said. “I’ve never done anything close to this. I don’t know how to feel about it.”
Cone got the record out of the way in a hurry with a triple to right-center to lead off the bottom of the first inning.
He finished a home run shy of the cycle and nearly had it, but instead doubled off the wall in the third inning.
“Obviously, Gene had an incredible day. It was a special day for him,” USC coach Chad Holbrook said. “There’s not much I can say other than he’s just playing his tail off.”
For the second straight game, the Gamecocks took a 2-0 lead in the first inning as TJ Hopkins, making his first start of the weekend, singled home Cone, stole second and scored on an Alex Destino single.
Hopkins once again singled home Cone in the third inning after his double off the wall and finished 3-for-5 with two stolen bases and three RBIs.
The freshman is 7-for-10 with five RBIs and four stolen bases in his last two starts. He has raised his batting average to .352.
“I’m swinging at my pitches… Kind of free-swinging when I see a fastball and taking it the other way,” Hopkins said.
USC upped its lead to 5-0 in the fourth inning on a two-run single by Cone, and he doubled home Mooney in the sixth to give the Gamecocks a comfortable lead.
Freshman Adam Hill got the start for South Carolina and had perhaps the best outing of his career, striking out eight in 6 1/3 innings without allowing a run.
Missouri managed only four hits off the righty, and he walked just one batter. The Tigers didn’t get on the board until Zach Lavy and Trey Harris had back-to-back two-out RBI hits in the eighth inning.
USC added three insurance runs in the eighth inning for the final margin.
“I’m really proud of our team. I thought we played a great game today,” Holbrook said. “We pitched, we played defense, we swung the bats very well.”
The win keeps South Carolina alone atop the SEC standings at 14-4 (33-8 overall) and sets up a showdown with Florida next weekend at Founders Park. The Gators are second in the league at 13-5.
THREE POINTS
Star of the game: Cone: The junior has been a hitting machine over the past several weeks and upped his average to .377. He is batting .457 in SEC play.
Play of the game: Cone’s triple to open the bottom of the first inning moved him into the record book. Missouri right fielder Kirby McGuire and centerfielder Jake Ring nearly collided as McGuire dove and the ball trickled off his glove.
Stat of the game: 16: The Gamecocks pounded out 16 hits to finish the weekend with 34 in three games.
OBSERVATIONS
Hopkins needs more playing time: The talented freshman is a difference-maker at the plate, defensively and on the bases. He uses the entire field offensively and can track down balls as good as anyone in the outfield.
Hill excelling at home: The righty has walked one batter or less in his six starts at home and 13 batters in four starts on the road.
NEXT
What: South Carolina vs. Florida
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Founders Park
Probable pitchers: USC – Clarke Schmidt (So. RHP); Florida – A.J. Puk (Jr. LHP)
Watch: SEC Network
Radio: 107.5 FM
This story was originally published April 24, 2016 at 4:33 PM with the headline "Gamecocks sweep Missouri behind Gene Cone’s big day."