Some games over the course of a season mean more than others, whether it be from a general win-loss standpoint or from an emotional or momentum-based view.
Sunday at Vanderbilt was both for South Carolina.
The Gamecocks not only avoided a sweep against the Commodores and snapped a six-game losing streak and found some desperately-needed offense that carried over to Tuesday’s 8-3 win over The Citadel and they now hope the same happens this weekend against Florida.
“We definitely knew we were good enough. I guess Sunday showed we were good enough to compete at that level, especially moving on,” Brett Kerry said. “Anyone could see last night we had more energy than we had the whole year. We’re really working as a team and building off every win.”
Also see: Latest scoop on a few four-stars South Carolina's recruiting
After getting no-hit Saturday and striking out 33 times over the first two games, the Gamecocks (13-6, 1-2 SEC) responded with six runs on nine hits Sunday to 10 strikeouts and followed it up with eight runs on nine hits Tuesday to nine strikeouts.
“I like scoring runs on Sunday and last night. I like seeing that. I didn’t like the results we had on Friday and Saturday but we went up against two almost transcendent types of pitchers. It’s baseball. There’s going to be ups, there’s going to be downs. You just have to try and stay as even keel as you can through the ups and downs,” Mark Kingston said.
“I think the message is to continue to learn about yourself, your team, what adjustments we need to make and try to stay as even keel as possible to deal with the ups and the downs.”
After facing two potential top 10 picks in this year’s draft last weekend in Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter, another great Florida (16-5, 3-0 SEC) pitching staff comes to down with a 3.50 team ERA headlined by Friday night starter Tommy Mace.
Also see: Big offensive lineman talks South Carolina interest
“It’s a similar pitching staff. Obviously Vanderbilt’s is one of the tops in the country. I would put Florida right there with them,” Kingston said. “It teaches guys the adjustments they need to make to hit that type of velocity and be able to hit that type of breaking stuff. You hope it’s a learning process and every week you get a little bit better with it.”
One hitter who’s been struggling a little is Andrew Eyster, who’s scuffled since the start of the Texas series. In eight games he’s hitting 3-for-29 with one RBI, no walks and 14 strikeouts. He’s been hit three times but doesn’t have an extra base hit in that time.
Eyster’s seen his slash line dip to .247/.341/.466 in that time but Kingston isn’t necessarily worried about one of the more proven hitters on the team.
“He’s too proven over the course until now. This is his third year for us. He’s a lifetime .300 hitter and came into our program as an established hitter. He has enough equity to where you just let him hit his way out of it,” Kingston said. “He’s a proven commodity and he’ll figure this thing out, no question.”
The Gamecocks are hoping the offensive performance continues against a top-five Florida team and hoping the last two wins are a barometer of thins to come.
Also see: Latest buzz around the men's basketball situation
“The momentum was kind of always there. We just needed a little spark to get something going. That game Sunday against Vandy we really came together as a team after Kingston let that little word slip,” Will Sanders said. “As long as the energy is good, we’re really hard to beat.”
When: 7 p.m./4 p.m./Noon
How to watch: Friday and Saturday on SEC Network Plus, Sunday on SEC Network
Probable pitchers
Friday: RHP Thomas Farr (2-1, 2.15 ERA) vs. Tommy Mace (4-0, 2.10 ERA)
Saturday: RHP Brannon Jordan (1-2, 3.52 ERA) vs. RHP Jack Leftwich (4-0, 1.71 ERA)
Sunday: TBA vs. LHP Hunter Barco (3-1, 5.26 ERA)
