Wasted opportunities lead to Gamecocks' first loss in SEC

South Carolina had Alabama starting pitcher Jake Waters pinned against a wall in the first inning. Already up two runs, the Gamecocks loaded the bases with no outs looking to break the game open and put away the Tide in the first.

What happened next set the tone for the rest of the game, as Waters got a fielder’s choice, pop up and strikeout to get out of the inning and not allow any more damage. The Tide would capitalize on the momentum and end No. 8 South Carolina’s eight-game winning streak with a 4-2 victory.

“That obviously came back to get us,” head coach Chad Holbrook said. “Sometimes you have to give credit to the other team when you can’t take advantage of some opportunities because he made some really good pitches with his back against the wall."

Those were the only runs the Gamecocks (15-6, 3-1 SEC) could muster Friday. They would put runners on base in five of the last eight innings but couldn’t scratch across a run the rest of the game.

“As disappointed as I am we squandered that opportunity, sometimes you have to understand there’s a pretty good guy on the mound,” Holbrook said. “He’s on scholarship too, and he’s damn good. He got out of it.”

They hit 3-for-15 (.200) with men in on base and 3-for-9 (.333) with runners in scoring position and had nine strikeouts to Alabama’s 12.

Trying to mount a comeback, the Gamecocks put two runners in scoring position in the fifth inning with two outs, but a Jacob Olson pop out would end the threat. Olson also the Gamecocks a chance in the eighth with a one-out single, but the Gamecocks couldn’t bring him home.

All nine position players reached base Friday, but they were held to one hit through the last eight innings.

“That’s always frustrating to get runners on base, second and third with less than two outs and cant score them,” outfielder TJ Hopkins said. “That’s always frustrating.”

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Down by two, Alabama halved the lead with a solo home run in the third inning and took the lead with a two-run bomb to right in the fourth inning.

The Tide wouldn’t trail the rest of the game as they chased starter Adam Hill after six innings. The sophomore gave up three runs off eight hits. He struck out a season-high nine batters.

“I felt good. I felt like my stuff was pretty good,” he said. “Just a couple pitches came back to bite me, but from a stuff standpoint I felt everything was working pretty well. My command was pretty off, but from a stuff standpoint everything was working well.”

Hill was making his second-straight SEC start on Friday night, filling in for the injured Clarke Schmidt. He’s 1-1 in both starts and has 14 strikeouts. His season ERA is down to 2.15.

“It’s a different experience for sure pitching on Friday night in the SEC,” Hill said. “I enjoy it, but I just try and go out there and battle and get a win for my team.”

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The Gamecocks snapped their eight-game win streak with the 4-2 loss, and it was their first Friday night loss on the year.

“We just did some things uncharacteristic of our program and our team. That’s the kind of thing that’s disappointing for me,” Holbrook said. “All in all, we pitched well enough to win and just didn’t do enough offensively after the first inning. You had a good pitcher on the ropes and we didn’t capitalize when we had a good opportunity.”

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Game Changer: Alabama’s two-run homer in the fourth inning put the Tide up a run, and they would never trail again.

Player of the Game: Alabama's pitching staff. They limited Gamecock damage all night as they cruised to their first SEC win.

Up Next: The Gamecocks will try and even the series tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. Wil Crowe will start for the Gamecocks.