Row the hero as Gamecocks walk-off against Alabama

Justin Row never had a game-ending hit in his life, yet here he was, watching the ball he laced skirt just outside the reach of the left fielder.

Here he was, turning around and saw his team hurdling the dugout railing to celebrate the Gamecocks’ first walk-off hit of the season.

No. 8 South Carolina bounced back after blowing a four-lead Saturday by scoring the last two runs of the game—capped by Row’s bases-loaded, walk-off single in the tenth—to beat Alabama 6-5 to even the series.

“It was awesome. Actually, (the fielder) was a lot closer than I thought he was going to get to that,” Row said, smirking. “When he dove, I was making sure that he missed it. I turned around and just saw the joy in everybody’s faces. It was great.”

It was Row’s fourth hit of the season—his first since March 4 against Clemson—and arguably the biggest of the Gamecocks’ (16-6, 4-1 SEC) season so far.

“Each game is so important. Three-and-two and four-and-one are very different in this league; three games over .500 or one,” head coach Chad Holbrook said. “I hope our guys realize that each victory is very precious, and you just try to keep an even keel and know another game is coming. If it hadn’t gone our way, tomorrow would be a very important game.”

He had limited pinch-hit opportunities since then, most notably the pinch-hit bunt attempt against Clemson.

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As he dug in for his 10th-inning plate appearance, that at-bat was the furthest thing from his mind; he was just thinking, “have fun. After all, it’s just a game.”

“With this sport, there are so many games, so many opportunities that once the game’s over, you just have to get over it,” Row said. “There’s no going back to that situation. I’m just waiting for my opportunity. I got in there tonight and did my best.”

The Gamecocks (16-6, 4-1 SEC) jumped out to a quick four-run and watched as that lead slipped through their grasp over the last three innings of regulation.

Starter Wil Crowe, who pitched six scoreless innings to start the game, gave up a RBI singled with one out in the seventh. He was pulled after giving back-to-back hits, capped by a double that put runners on second and third with one out.

Josh Reagan relieved him. The senior gave up a sacrifice fly in the inning, credited to Crowe, before getting out of the jam with a strikeout. The Tide would make it a one-run game in the eighth on another sacrifice fly.

They would take the lead in the ninth when Chandler Taylor hit a monster, game-tying home run and Chandler Avant hit into a run-scoring double play. The Gamecocks would rally in the bottom of the inning, however.

Down to their final out with runners on the corners, Danny Blair was plated on a wild pitch to send the game into extras.

“I think the motto is ‘Win Anyway,’ and I think we took that under and really just went after it. Once we got down there we knew we had to come back,” Crowe said. “We had a really good feeling in the dugout, so we knew we were going to come back and win that game.”

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Reagan came back out for the tenth inning after giving up those two runs and gave up a leadoff walk. He rallied to pick the runner off and got a strikeout to end the frame, leaving the field to a emotional fist pump and scream.

“I told him that he had to let it go and he’s got to go out there and do his job no matter what happened before. He did a great job after that,” Crowe said. “I think we put him in that situation 100 times out of 100. Josh is great. We love him. Josh is a great pitcher. He knows how to get guys out.”

Reagan pitched a season-high 3.2 innings, giving up three runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out three of the 11 batters he faced.

The senior improves to 3-0 on the year and is the team’s go-to closer with usual closer Tyler Johnson out with arm soreness.

“When you’re in a situation like that the experience part of it is extremely important. The rationale was to go with the guy who’s been there before, experienced,” head coach Holbrook said. “I know he didn’t get some outs here or there, but the big pickoff move there and then he got us out of the inning unharmed and we came back and won it.”

This is the Gamecocks’ first walk-off hit since 2015 as they keep pace with Kentucky (4-1 SEC) in the East. Holbrook said the Gamecocks pressed at the plate, hitting .261 (6-for-23) with runners on base and .231 (3-for-13) with men in scoring position. But, thanks to Row, they got the big hit when they needed it.

“We were pressing. And there was a little pressure on our guys. They were trying too hard. Sometimes in this game, that can work against you,” Holbrook said. “So yeah, it’s a big relief. Hopefully it let the air out of the balloon so to speak. Maybe we can take a deep breath and play our best game of the weekend tomorrow.”

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Game Changer: Josh Reagan picked off a runner in the 10th inning and got a strikeout with two men on base to end the inning and keep it a tie game. The Gamecocks would hit their walk-off single in the next half inning.

Top Performer: Justin Row came in cold to deliver his first hit in three weeks and give the Gamecocks their first walk-off win in over a season.

Up Next: Sunday’s rubber match will be at noon on SEC Network Plus. It was moved up to accommodate the men’s basketball team’s Elite Eight game at 2:20 p.m. The Gamecocks will start Clarke Schmidt, who missed his last start due to an upper body injury.