For all the negativity surrounding this baseball program, this team does not quit. There have been plenty of times that they have been outgunned, but they've always found a way to bounce back. After poor defense allowed Alabama to creep back and tie Thursday night's game, Carolina rebounded immediately in the bottom of the 9th with a bloop Colin Burgess walk-off RBI single. Friday night, Noah Hall threw perhaps the best game of his career but was nearly matched pitch for pitch by Alabama's Jacob McNairy, The Gamecocks responded by manufacturing a late run in the 8th to win a 2-1 pitcher's duel. Then Carolina broke out the bats in the series finale scoring 11 runs on 14 hits to earn a much needed sweep.

This was the first time Alabama had been swept in conference play this season, and they've played Tennessee in Knoxville. (Bama lost that series 2-1 but won the opener giving Tennessee their only conference loss until Auburn's dramatic 4-run top of the 9th last night evened that series). This was South Carolina's second sweep of the season having previously swept George Washington in February. Carolina's last SEC sweep was against Kentucky last May in Lexington. The Gamecocks were just 2-4 in 1-run games entering this weekend.

Senior outfielder Andrew Eyster made a strong case for SEC Player of the Week. He ended his weekend 6-11 with 2 home runs and 7 RBIs. Noah Hall and Cade Austin deserve recognition as well for their performances. Hall pitched 7 innings of shutout baseball and allowed only 3 hits, while striking out 8. Cade Austin pitched 4 innings without allowing an earned run out of the bullpen. Mark Kingston seems to have confidence in only 6 pitchers on the weekend and Austin is the first guy getting the ball out of the bullpen.

Carolina will return to the diamond on Wednesday night when they host North Carolina A&T. The Aggies are probably the worst team left on the Gamecocks schedule at 13-29, but they did defeat UNC in a midweek game earlier this season and nearly won a series at Pitt this weekend.

The Gamecock then have a golden opportunity to add to their resume with a 3 game series against the other Aggies in College Station. Texas A&M currently has a RPI of 12. South Carolina desperately needs a road series win against a quality opponent. That series will begin Friday night.