Pitching cruises, leads Gamecocks to win over Valpo
SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS BASEBALL
It took a little longer than expected, but the Gamecocks beat Valparaiso 9-2 Saturday afternoon in the resumption of Friday's rained-shortened game.
The Gamecocks used timely hitting and good pitching to shutdown the Crusaders for their second win of the week.
Wes Sweatt gave the Gamecocks (11-3) what they needed Friday night before rain postponed the action until Saturday, giving up just one run in his starting debut, a RBI double in the second inning and pitching around trouble the rest of his outing.
He'd pitch around a single in the first and give up a single and walk to start the third inning and load the bases after a throwing error from Jacob Olson to load the bases with no outs.
The freshman pitched out of the jam, getting a strikeout and double play to escape the threat unscathed.
When the game was postponed, Sweatt had allowed three hits in four innings and walked two. He'd struck out three.
John Gilreath started the fifth inning when play started Saturday and gave up just one run on three hits and struck out three.
He'd pitch himself into trouble in the seventh, putting the first two men of the inning on and almost got out of it with back-to-back strikeouts.
He'd give up a RBI single and walk the bases loaded before Cam Tringali got out of the jam with a pop up.
Tringali pitched the final 2.1 scoreless innings of the game, giving up just one hit and picked up his first-career save.
After falling behind early, the Gamecocks rallied to tie the game in the third on an infield hit from Noah Campbell mixed with a throwing error then took the lead on a sacrifice fly from Luke Berryhill.
The Gamecocks would get to more in the fourth on another sacrifice fly, this time from Noah Campbell and an Andrew Eyster RBI single.
After a Chris Cullen solo shot in the fifth—his fourth homer of the year— the Gamecocks got two runs apiece in the seventh and eighth innings to cap the scoring.
Player of the game: Chris Cullen had two hits, including a solo home run in the fifth, and drove in two runs.
Key moment: Tringali came in with the bases loaded and the tying run to the plate and got out of the jam. The Gamecocks scored four unanswered runs after to coast to a win.
Up next: Game two of the series will be immediately following this one at 4:15 p.m. with Reid Morgan getting the start. It will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.