ROCK HILL, S.C. — Even if they are just midweeks, South Carolina baseball still handled business almost as well as possible in 2024.
The Gamecocks blasted Winthrop 15-3 to close out its midweek slate in dominant fashion, a common theme for this group.
With the win South Carolina (33-15) closed the year 12-1 in midweek games, with the only blemish coming on Apr. 3 against Georgia Southern. The Gamecocks outscored their midweek opponents 116-51 for the year, punctuated by another consistent offensive display against the Eagles.
"We've had years where Tuesday nights and midweek games were an absolute battle," Mark Kingston said. "We dominated the midweek games this year. 12-1, hard to beat that. And we did it convincingly on most Tuesdays. I think that speaks to the talent, the depth and the ability of our guys to stay focused in non-weekend games."
Kennedy Jones was the focal point of everything, driving in five runs and immediately getting it going with a two-run single in the first inning after Parker Noland’s RBI groundout plated the game’s first run. Winthrop (16-26-1) pulled one run back with a Jaylen Hernandez RBI single off Tyler Pitzer in the bottom half of the frame, but it was the only hit Pitzer surrendered in two sharp innings with four strikeouts.
Jake McCoy took the baton from him and also only allowed one run in two innings, and in that time the offense blew the game open.
"I liked the effort of everything I saw tonight," Kingston said. "The bullpen, obviously offensively we were outstanding again today and our defense was really top notch. Just a complete game from us, on the road in our last midweek game of the year."
Gavin Casas hit his seventh home run of the year in the second inning to immediately get one run back, and Jones tacked on two more with a home run of his own off the scoreboard in left field to make it 6-1. It was just the start of the evening power surge, which concluded in the seventh inning in resounding fashion.
South Carolina entered the inning up 11-3 with at least one run in each of the first six frames, and continued it with power from the top of the order. Austin Brinling started it off with his first home run as a Gamecock out to right field, a two-run shot which took the score into run-rule territory.
Then came a couple guys far more accustomed to homering in the garnet and black.
Ethan Petry crushed one off the light tower in left field for his 19th home run of the season and 42nd of his already historic career, moving him into a tie for seventh-place in program history. Two batters later Cole Messina hit one every bit as hard out to dead center, clearing the wall by a healthy distance to tack on one more run and produce his 15th home run of the season.
And as a team, it gave South Carolina 24 home runs in 13 midweek games.
"We took every game seriously," Jones said. "Every game counts on this team, so we play every game to win. We don't take any days off."
Tyler Dean, Joey Wittig and Michael Polk cleaned up the remainder of the evening on the mound with just three hits allowed between the trio to secure South Carolina’s fourth run-rule victory in midweek play and second against Winthrop.
Far more pressing matters will return to the forefront in less than 48 hours, though. South Carolina will open its last home series of the regular season Thursday against Georgia, with the first pitch of game one set for 8 p.m. ET at Founders Park.
"You want to feel like you're getting stronger and you're gaining momentum as the season is starting to get later," Kingston said. "And I think we have all of those things."
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