After a disappointing 5-2 loss in which South Carolina managed just seven hits in 10 innings Friday, the Gamecocks (4-1) needed to bounce back Saturday against Northwestern, especially on offense.
And bounce back they did.
The Gamecocks scored early and often in a 12-3 rout of the Wildcats. The Gamecock hitters took advantage of a wild outing from Northwestern starter Quinn Lavelle to jump out to an early 3-1 lead, capitalizing on a pair of walks and a hit by pitch. Jeff Heinrich had the big hit—the first of his career—a 2-run single to left that opened the scoring.
In the second, it was more of the same, but with a little more pop. Noah Campbell singled with one out before Andrew Eyster’s opposite field double put two in scoring position for Wes Clarke. The first baseman hasn’t hit much for average, but once again showed his mammoth power, rocketing a 3-run home run to deep left center. The Gamecocks would add two more on a George Callil single that followed another walk and hit by pitch.
In all, the Gamecocks sent 18 batters to the plate in the first two frames, collecting eight hits, three walks and two hit by pitches, a combination that led to eight runs.
The Gamecocks have done that a lot this year, scoring 34 runs in the first three innings
"Every team in the country wants tot try to get out and score first," head coach Mark Kingston said. "We've been able to do that pretty consistently this year. I think it allows pitchers to pitch a little bit differently when they get leads early ... The fact that we're getting out to good starts is always a good thing."
On the mound, sophomore Brett Kerry battled. A week after collecting a career-high 12 strikeouts, Kerry struggled to put hitters away Saturday. Northwestern started with three straight hits to take an early lead. After pitching coach Skylar Meade visited the mound, Kerry retired nine straight batters, but only one via the strikeout.
"That was probably the worst stuff [Brett's] had in the time he's been here," Kingston said. "He threw up after breakfast today, so he was out there on guts. He didn't have his good stuff, but what you saw is a guy with big guts, a lot of savvy, a guy that just found a way to get it done anyway ... It looked like he might have to come out in the second inning today because it didn't look like it was going to be his day. The fact that he lasted six innings and only gave up the three earned runs is just a testament to the kind of competitor he is and the type of savvy he has.
Northwestern would sprinkle in two solo homers across Kerry’s final two innings but managed just four hits off the righty after the initial three.
The Gamecocks added four more in the sixth, courtesy of Clarke’s second no-doubter of the game, this one a grand slam. Once again, the long fly was preceded by a hit by pitch. Clarke ended his day 3-4 with career-highs in runs (3) and RBIs (7).
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"These young hitters are always a work in progress and you're always trying to figure out what's going to make them tick," Kingston said. "Wes Clarke is a guy that's continuing to learn how he needs to prepare his swing, his approach each day. Obviously, he was locked in today."
After six innings from Kerry, T.J. Shook got the call, striking out two of three batters in his second perfect appearance of the young season.
Sophomore John Gilreath struck out three around two soft singles to keep the Wildcats off the board and freshman Brett Thomas made quick work of Northwestern in the ninth inning of his first career appearance.
South Carolina is back out Sunday looking to take the series with Brennan Jordan on the mound.
