Gamecocks taking hot offense down to LSU for three-game series
Pitching for South Carolina is always going to be a strength as the Gamecocks go through SEC play, but over the Gamecocks’ three-game winning streak it’s been the Gamecocks’ hitting that’s helped carry the load.
Mixed with some still stellar pitching the Gamecocks’ offense has scored 33 runs over the last three games as they take some hot bats down to LSU for a three-game series starting Thursday night.
“Since we’re getting deeper in the season we’re getting a lot more comfortable at the plate,” Josiah Sightler said. “We’re aggressive but we’re not over aggressive where we’re swinging at a lot of pitches out of the strike zone. As the season’s going on we’re getting more into our groove and that’s helped us a lot.”
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Sightler and the team have been hot of late with the Gamecocks as a group slashing .323/.460/.559 over this mini win streak while walking more times (21) than they’ve struck out (17).
Granted, neither team was in the top 100 of the RPI—Missouri’s sitting at No. 110 as of Thursday morning—but the Gamecocks are hoping three wins, including a 9-0 shutout against Charleston Southern Tuesday can create momentum.
It’s the kind of game you want to have going into a big series on the road,” Mark Kingston said. “I thought it was a really crisp game; a lot of guys took really good at-bats and we should take some confidence going into the series. Our pitching was great and our defense was great. It’s the kind of game you want to take on the road with you.”
Sightler himself has been hot, and not just because he hit a mammoth 407-foot grand slam Tuesday night. Over his last three games he’s slashing .417/.462/.667 with six RBI and has struck out just once.
The outfielder who struggled as a freshman going 2-for-30 in 2019 is now hitting .317 on the season.
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“It’s very surreal for me. It was a struggle for me here at first. I think I only had two hits here my freshman year,” he said. “Being third in the lineup means all the hard work is paying off for me and it’s a great feeling.”
And Sightler is providing some pop for a somewhat slumping Wes Clarke, who’s had an uncharacteristic stretch of games over the last three, slashing .167/.333/.167 with five strikeouts.
“He’s in a little bit of a rut right now but he’ll work his way out of it. You can’t go a whole season, hit .500 and hit a homer every game,” Kingston said. “It was bound to happen. He’ll work through it and coach Lake will watch video with him and work with him. We’ll get it figured out. He’s just too good to stay down for too long. He’ll work hard at it and at some point he’ll start carrying us again.”
Now, the Gamecocks get to take on a LSU team that hasn’t lived up to expectations so far this season sitting at 20-12 and 3-9 in SEC play while having lost projected first round pitcher Jaden Hill for the season.
It’s still a talented team and is No. 25 in the RPI with some good arms and players who can hit for average and for power so Kingston and the Gamecocks are not taking things lightly.
“LSU baseball is one of the brand names in college baseball. I expect great baseball; I expect a great environment,” he said. “I expect us to be ready to go and I expect us to be ready to go. It’s great SEC baseball and South Carolina and LSU are two of the best names in the country. I think you’re going to see a lot of great baseball.”
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Game times (ET): 7:30 p.m./8 p.m./3 p.m.
TV: ESPN U Thursday, SEC Network Plus Friday and Saturday
Probable pitching (South Carolina listed first)
Thursday: RHP Thomas Farr (2-2, 3.25 ERA) vs. RHP Landon Marceaux (3-3, 1.89 ERA)
Friday: RHP Brannon Jordan (4-2, 3.02 ERA) vs. RHP AJ Labas (2-0, 3.43 ERA)
Saturday: RHP Will Sanders (5-1, 2.51 ERA) vs. TBA
