Recap: Gamecocks fall to Vanderbilt, 7-6, in SEC series opener

South Carolina opened a three-game SEC series on Thursday night against SEC East rival Vanderbilt at Founders Park. The Gamecocks entered the game in second place behind Kentucky in the divisional standings. The night opened with a bang when hoops star Sindarius Thornwell threw out the ceremonial first pitch. How did the Gamecocks fare?

FINAL: Vanderbilt 7, South Carolina 6

LINESCORE

VAN (20-11) – 021 030 100 = 7-11-2

USC (20-9) – 010 001 040 = 6-12-1

WP – Patrick Raby (5-3)

LP – Wil Crowe (3-2)

SV – Reed Hayes (5)

HR – USC, Alex Destino (6th, none on), LT Tolbert (8th, two on); VAN (Julian Infante, 7th, none on).

RBI – LT Tolbert (3), Alex Destino (1), Carlos Cortes (1), Madison Stokes (1).

LOB – USC 8, Vanderbilt 8.

A – 6,904 (announced)

Time – 3:13

Gamecock Pitchers: Wil Crowe (6.1 IP, 110 pitches), Graham Lawson (1.1 IP, 32 pitches), John Parke (0.1 IP, 2 pitches), Reed Scott (0.2, 12 pitches).

HIGHLIGHTS

-- After setting down the Commodores easily in the top of the first, USC starter Wil Crowe ran into trouble in the top of the second when the first three Vanderbilt hitters singled. The fourth Vandy batter stroked a sacrifice fly to right for a 2-0 lead.

-- The Gamecocks got one run back in the bottom of the second when Chris Cullen led off with a double. After a groundout advanced him to third and a popup, surging Carlos Cortes singled to right for his 11th RBI of the season, narrowing Vandy’s lead to 2-1.

-- Vanderbilt replied with a single, stolen base, walk and RBI double into the left field corner off Crow in the top of the fourth to regain the 3-run lead.

-- The Gamecocks stranded two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the third when Cullen, given new life by a dropped foul pop, struckout before going quietly in the bottom of the fourth.

-- Things got bizarre in the top of the fifth. First, with a runner on third base following a single, stolen base and groundout, the Vanderbilt runner tried to score on a soft comebacker to the mound. A rundown ensued, but Gamecocks 3B Jonah Bride was called for interference, allowing the runner to score. Did the ‘Dores runner initiate the contact? Replays showed he might have (SEC Network analyst Kyle Peterson thought so). Two batters later, Gamecocks CF T.J. Hopkins overran a long fly in deep LCF for a two-run triple, pushing Vanderbilt’s lead to 6-1.

-- Any attempt at a comeback had to begin somewhere and Alex Destino delivered a solo homer leading off the bottom of the sixth. A pair of singles and a wild pitch put runners at second and third with two outs, but a popup stranded both runners.

-- Vanderbilt’s Julian Infante got the run back for the Commodores in the top of the seventh when he launched a long solo homer onto the concourse beyond the left field fence off Crowe. After a two-out double, Crowe was replaced by Graham Lawson. Crowe departed after allowing 11 hits and 7 runs in 6.1 innings with 5 strikeouts and 2 walks.

-- The Gamecocks made the game very interesting by scoring four runs in the bottom of the 8th, three coming on LT Tolbert’s homer onto the walkway beyond the RF fence. Tolbert picked a good time for his 1st homer of the season (and 7th extra base hit). The blast gave him 18 RBI. A fourth run scored on Madison Stokes RBI single to center. Stokes came into the game batting just .191 (18-94), but the hit was his second of the night.

-- With a Vanderbilt runner in scoring position, Reed Scott ended the top of the ninth and preserved the 7-6 deficit for the Gamecocks. Could USC take advantage? Jonah Bride led off with a walk to put the tying run on base but the farthest he got was second base as the Commodores hung on for the win.

HOW THE RUNS SCORED:

VAN 2nd - Toffey singled to center, Grisanti (PH) singled to right-center, Delay singled through left side (RBI), Ray hit sacrifice fly to RF (RBI), Jones grounded to second, Kaiser grounded out to catcher unassisted. 2 RUNS, 3 HITS (VAN 2-0).

USC 2nd – Cullen doubled to right, Tolbert grounded to first, Olson popped to second, Cortes singled to right (RBI), Stokes struckout. ONE RUN, TWO HITS (VAN 2-1)/.

VAN 3rd - Kendall grounded to second, Scott singled to right, Scott stole second, Infante lined out to right, Toffey walked, Grisanti doubled down the LF line (RBI), Delay grounded to third. 1 RUN, 2 HITS (VAN 3-1).

VAN 5th - Kendall singled to right, Kendall stole second, Scott grounded to pitcher, Infante reached on fielder's choice and advanced to second (Kendall scored on fielder’s interference)(E5), Toffey walked, Grisanti flied to center, Delay tripled to left-center (2 RBI), Ray struck out swinging. 3 RUNS, 2 HITS (VAN 6-1).

USC 6th – Destino homered to right (RBI), Hopkins grounded to short, Cullen flied to center, Tolbert to center, Olson singled to left, Tolbert advanced to third and Olson advanced to second on wild pitch, Cortes popped to pitcher. 1 RUN, 2 HITS (VAN 6-2).

VAN 7th – Infante homered to left, Toffey lined to left, Grisanti flied to center, Delay doubled to left-center, <LAWSON for CROWE>, Ray walked, Jones struckout. 1 RUN, 2 HITS (VAN 7-2).

USC 8th - <Snider for Raby>, Destino reached on fielding error (E4), Hopkins struckout, Cullen singled to left, Tolbert homered to right (3 RBI), Olson doubled to left-center, <King for Snyder>, Olson advanced to third on wild pitch, Cortes struckout looking, Stokes singled to center (RBI), Williams grounded into fielder’s choice (5-4). 4 RUNS, 4 HITS (VAN 7-6).