Walks doom Gamecocks as they drop midweek to UNC
CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Mark Kingston and his team felt like they had the upper hand through the majority of Tuesday’s game against North Carolina.
Then, on the flip of a switch, things started to snowball for the Gamecocks, as they’d give up eight runs the last two innings thanks to eight walks to give North Carolina a 11-3 win.
“We outplayed them for seven innings, eight innings and the walks started to pile them up,” LT Tolbert said. “We had chances to score some runs but we didn’t. We outplayed them for the first seven innings and I thought we should have won that game.”
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South Carolina jumped out to an early 3-1 lead thanks to a game-tying RBI single from Jonah Bride in the first inning and a solo shot from Chris Cullen, his third of the year, in the second.
They’d get another run in the third on an RBI fielder’s choice.
After that, it was all Tar Heels. They’d score 10 unanswered runs, tying the game in the sixth on a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch before busting the game wide open the last two innings.
The go-ahead run came across in the eighth on a sacrifice fly as part of a four-run inning ending with a two-out, two-run single to right field. Two innings before, South Carolina loaded the bases with two outs and couldn’t scratch across a run.
They also had a chance in that inning, getting the first two men on base, but Cullen tried to bunt and popped up in foul territory to the third baseman.
“There was a power arm on the mound and he was going right at them,” head coach Mark Kingston said. “Obviously we don’t bunt very often but in a 3-3 game with first and second on base I thought it was the right move. It backfired, it didn’t work, but I’m not going to second guess it.”
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North Carolina got four more in the ninth on two hits and a balk, including a two-run homer to right field as well.
South Carolina used seven pitchers out of the bullpen, who combined for 124 pitches over the last 3.2 innings. They’d give up eight runs, all earned, on six hits and six walks.
As a staff, the Gamecocks issued eight walks with six of those runners eventually coming home to score.
“I don’t know why those guys couldn’t throw strikes tonight,” head coach Mark Kingston said. “Logan Chapman had no problem doing it for close to six innings today. We just couldn’t throw strikes.”
The bullpen outing diminishes what was Chapman’s best start at South Carolina, as the freshman tossed a career-high 5.1 innings while striking out four and walking two.
After giving up a run on a RBI single in the first, he’d motor through the next four shutout innings before hitting some trouble in the sixth. After getting a quick strikeout, he’d walk the next two batters and get pulled.
Those two would come home to score, but Chapman (2-0, 3.86 ERA) picked up a no decision. Carmen Mlodzinski (0-3, 3.65 ERA) picks up the loss out of the bullpen.
“I feel like I pitched well overall,” Chapman said. “The walks at the end of the sixth kind of brought us down a little bit but overall I thought I pitched well.”
Tuesday’s loss snaps a four-game win streak for the Gamecocks (17-12, 4-5 SEC) and marks the third loss to the Tar Heels in three years at BB&T Ballpark.
The combined scores of those games is 46-8 in favor of North Carolina, which includes Tuesday’s 11-run, 10-hit performance.
“It’s a great event, we just need to win it. It’s a really great stadium, great city, great fan support on both side with two really storied programs,” Kingston said. “It’s a great event. I’d like to win the thing, not come here and lose.”
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Player of the game: Logan Chapman did enough to help his team win the game, picking up a career-high 5.1 innings and giving up three runs, two coming after he left the game.
Pivotal moment: South Carolina loaded the bases in a tie game but couldn't scratch a run across and North Carolina busted the game open an inning later.
Up next: South Carolina travels to Kentucky to start a three-game series with the Wildcats starting Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in Lexington with Adam Hill on the mound.