South Carolina’s series-opening woes continued Thursday night in Baton Rouge.

The Gamecocks dropped their opener on the road to LSU, struggling to take advantage of the chances they had offensively in a 5-1 loss.

They now have one win in their five SEC openers and are 0-3 in SEC openers on the road since league play began.

The Gamecocks (22-10, 8-5 SEC) had chances but could never get that game-breaking hit against LSU starter Landon Marceaux, who motored through the lineup over the first seven innings.

They’d strand seven base runners over the first seven innings and go hitless in 11 at-bats with runners on against Marceaux, including 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

Their best chances came back-to-back in the sixth and seventh. They’d put two in scoring with jut one out in the sixth before a strikeout and groundout—thanks to a nice diving play from LSU shortstop—ended the threat.

David Mendham led the seventh off with a triple but was thrown out at home with one out and another strikeout ended that inning.

“The shortstop saved three runs for them. Great defense in this league does that," Kingston said. "He saved two runs on that play and saved a run on a ball that 90 percent of the time when you have a lead you let the run score and throw to first. Instead he came home and saved another run. You have to tip your cap.”

They’d get a run in the ninth, loading the bases with no outs and using a double play to get on the scoreboard before a another strikeout ended the game.

Their 16 strikeouts and just three hits were the most and fewest of each in SEC play since being no-hit against Vanderbilt on March 20.

“Their guy was really good. We have to do a better job. He had a good fastball and a really good breaking ball and we chased it too much. That’s why the strikeouts were too high. We have to do too much.”

Starter Thomas Farr (2-3, 3.28 ERA) had a rocky start to his outing, giving up a pair of runs in the first inning on a two-run home to Gavin Dugas but settled down nicely.

He’d give up just one more hit the rest of the way and pitch out of trouble a few times. Because of a nearly 30-pitch first inning Farr only got through five innings, striking out three and walking three more.

“Farr battled. He gave us a chance to win. He got off to a real tough start there in the first inning but settled in and gave us five while giving up two runs," Kingston said. "That’s good enough on Friday not where you should expect to have a chance to win.”

Farr threw up four scoreless frames to end his outing and it was all quiet before LSU put up three more on the Gamecocks’ bullpen, putting up two in the seventh on a one-out double and sacrifice fly and a solo shot in the eighth.

The series-opening loss is a similar pattern with the Gamecocks having now lost three straight series openers in SEC play.

The last two series—at Georgia and home for Missouri—both saw the Gamecocks win the next two to take the series.

Next up is a Friday game at 8 p.m. ET with Brannon Jordan (4-2, 3.02 ERA) on the mound opposite LSU’s AJ Labas (2-0, 3.43 ERA).

“We’ll bounce back. There’s no doubt in my mind we’ll bounce back," Kingston said. "That’s how we play, and the SEC demands that. That’s how we’re made up.”