South Carolina had a “gut punch” loss last Tuesday against Presbyterian. Since then, it’s been the Gamecocks handing out the haymakers.
They won again Tuesday, thumping Furman 10-2 to push their win streak to four games heading into a big SEC series at Vanderbilt this weekend.
“I think we’re getting a feel for how to keep them sharp and we’re getting them healthy,” head coach Mark Kingston said. “When you put all that together, you’re starting to get glimpses of what we think we can be.”
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The Gamecocks started hot, scoring two over the first three innings, sparked by a 425-foot home run from Madison Stokes, his seventh shot of the year.
After Furman tied the game at two, Gamecocks scored in four of their last six innings, blowing things open with an eight-run eighth inning thanks, in part, to a 432-foot, three-run homer from Carlos Cortes, his team-leading 10th blast of the season.
Seven of South Carolina’s starters had hits Tuesday, including Jonah Bride’s season-high four-hit day. He’d finish driving in two runs with two extra-base hits. For Bride, he’s now extended his hitting streak to four games.
“He just has a nice simple, consistent swing,” Kingston said. “When he’s getting his pitch, he’s not missing.”
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The offense was able to relax a little thanks to dominant pitching from Carmen Mlodzinski (2-4, 3.26 ERA), who started with three perfect innings before allowing two runs in the fourth.
Mlodzinski scattered three hits and three walks over a career-high seven innings and struck seven batters, a new career-high as well. He’d also tie the longest outing of the season for a Gamecock with Adam Hill, the only other pitcher who’s thrown seven innings.
“He throws 90 to 91, but (his pitches are) dropping like crazy,” Bride said. “When I was playing second base two weeks ago I was like, ‘Wow I didn’t know his ball dropped like that.’ He’s got really good stuff. He’s going to continue to improve.”
For Mlodzinski, he’s now 2-1 over his last three outings, all starts, with a 3.18 ERA. Over that span he’s given up just six earned runs and struck out 18 batters.
He threw 90 pitches Tuesday, averaging just under 13 pitches an inning.
“It’s been good,” he said. “I started in high school, so it was a quick adjustment out of the bullpen, so I feel pretty confident there.”
After Tuesday’s win, the Gamecocks are winners of four straight, including a three-game sweep over then No. 19 LSU.
Over that span, they’ve outscored opponents 40-12 and have scored double-digit runs in three games. They’ve had double-digit hits in every game since the Presbyterian loss.
USC had 17 again Tuesday, a season-high, with six doubles and two home runs.
“We had 17 hits,” Bride said. “That’s really encouraging coming off a great weekend with a great game today. We all had confidence.”
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Player of the game: Carmen Mlodzinski saved the bullpen some work, tying the longest outing of the year for a Gamecock pitcher with seven innings. He'd also strike out a career-high seven batters.
Pivotal moment: With the tying run up to the plate in the inning and just one out, Mlodzinski got a ground ball to Justin Row, who started a 4-3 double play to get out of the jam.
Up next: South Carolina starts a three-game series at Vanderbilt starting Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m EDT.
