***2021 Baseball South Carolina (19-7) vs North Carolina (14-12) Game Thread***

[ConwayGamecock 229]

2021 South Carolina Gamecocks Baseball Official Game Thread

   South Carolina vs North Carolina 

Tuesday April 6, 2021 7:00 PM Truist Field

 

 

#11 SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS (19-7, 6-3 SEC) VS NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS (14-12, 9-9 ACC)
7:00 P.M.  |  CHARLOTTE, N.C.  |   TRUIST FIELD

GAME NOTES:  PDF | WATCH:  | LISTEN: 107.5 The Game | Live Stats

 

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The University of South Carolina baseball team makes its annual pilgrimage to Charlotte, N.C., and Truist Field as the Gamecocks face North Carolina on Tuesday, April 6 at 7 p.m.  The game will be televised on SEC Network with Clay Matvick and Kyle Peterson on the call. Every Gamecock contest will be on the Gamecock Radio Network with Derek Scott and Tommy Moody on the call. Carolina won 2-of-3 games at Georgia this past weekend, winning a series in Athens for the first time since 2010. Brady Allen homered twice in Sunday's win while Will Sanders pitched eight-plus innings, allowing just one run in a 5-1 victory.

PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Tuesday
South Carolina Jack Mahoney (Fr. RHP) 1-0, 1.69 ERA, 5 BB, 22 SO
North Carolina Max Alba (R-Fr. RHP) 2-2, 5.97 ERA, 5 BB, 28 SO
 
SCOUTING NORTH CAROLINA
The Tar Heels took 1-of-3 games at Florida State this past weekend, winning the series opener, 4-3. Johnny Castagnozzi was 2-for-4 with three runs scored in the win while Austin Love struck out 10 in seven innings in a no-decision. Justice Thompson leads the Tar Heels with a .320 batting average while Caleb Roberts has seven home runs on the year. Love is 4-1 with a 3.56 ERA with 50 strikeouts.
 
SERIES VS. NORTH CAROLINA
The Tar Heels leads the overall series with the Gamecocks, 63-38-1, but South Carolina won the last contest, 5-2, on April 16, 2019. Andrew Eyster homered in the win and John Gilreath struck out four in 2.1 innings of relief.
 

GAMECOCKS TAKE SERIES IN ATHENS

 

Carolina won a series at Georgia for the first time since 2010 on April 2-4, winning the final two contests by scores of 13-7 and 5-1. Carolina had four home runs and Brannon Jordan struck out 11 in Saturday's win, while Brady Allen tagged a pair of home runs, including one to lead off the game, while Will Sanders struck out four in an eight-inning start.
 
SANDERS STIFLES GEORGIA BATS
Freshman Will Sanders went eight-plus innings, allowing just one run while not walking a batter in Carolina's 5-1 win over Georgia on April 4. He gave up eight hits and struck out four while allowing just two runners to reach third base in the win. Sanders was awarded Co-Freshman of the Week honors by the SEC for his performance as he moved to 5-1 on the year with a 2.22 ERA.

CAROLINA CALLS CONTINUES THURSDAY NIGHT
Head Coach Mark Kingston will be on Carolina Calls Thursday night (April 8) from 7-8 p.m. at Home Team Barbecue in Five Points. The show will be broadcast on the Gamecock Radio Network with Derek Scott as the host.
 

https://gamecocksonline.com/news/2021/4/5/baseball-travels-to-charlotte-for-tuesday-night-game-with-unc.aspx

[ConwayGamecock 229]

The Gamecocks are moving back up in the polls once again:

 

 

[kingofnerf 344]

Git Dat Tar Sneaker.

[ConwayGamecock 229]

 

[ConwayGamecock 229]

South Carolina is the "home" team for the neutral field game:

top 1st inning, UNC is up to bat. Jack Mahoney is greeted rudely with a lead-off triple. The next batter singles in the base-runner, and just like that the Tar Heels have the first score.

The next batter also singles, and Mahoney is not settled in yet. Another single from the next batter, and the bases are loaded with 0 outs. Uh-oh....

The next batter hits into a double play, and the attempt at home is thrown out by Mahoney to Wes Clarke! The play at home is reviewed and stands. Now they are on 3B and 2B, but 2 outs.

The next batter strikes out to end the inning - that's great damage control from bases loaded and 0 outs, and a run already scored. The Tarheels only get that lone run for their troubles.....

 

1-0 UNC, bottom 1st inning:

 

Brady Allen leads off with a walk. Colin Burgess is hit by a pitch. Josiah Sightler grounds past 1st - the 1B retrieves and throws to the pitcher at 1st to get Sightler out, but both base-runners advance to 3B and 2B.

Clarke flies out deep but drives in Allen. Andrew Eyster flies out for the final out, and we tie the game without the benefit of a hit....

 

1-1 Top 2nd inning.....

[ConwayGamecock 229]

1-1 top 2nd inning:

Mahoney settles in and has a 1-2-3 inning via the fly out, ground out, and strike out.

 

bottom 2nd inning:

David Mendham pops up to Short. Brennan Milone is walked, and UNC goes to their bullpen early.

Jeff Heinrich grounds into a double play to end the inning.

 

1-1 top 3rd inning.....

[ConwayGamecock 229]

1-1 top 3rd inning:

 

The first 2 UNC batters singles off Mahoney. He then gets the next 2 batters to fly out. Then the next batter strikes out for the final out, and the Tar Heels are leaving them all over the bases. Mahoney has 49 pitches through 3.0 innings.

 

1-1 bottom 3rd inning:

 

George Callil grounds out. Allen grounds out. Burgess grounds out. We're killing ants tonight.....

 

1-1 top 4th.......

 

[ConwayGamecock 229]

1-1 top 4th inning:

 

Mahoney steps onto the mound. The first two Tar Heels batters grounds out and lines out each off of the first pitch from Jack. Two pitches, two outs, too nice!

The next batter strikes out and Mahoney has an easy inning.

 

1-1 bottom 4th:

 

Sightler strikes out. Clarke strikes out. Eyster singles - we're FINALLY on the board with a hit. No no-hit tonight!

Mendham strikes out. UNC is playing us tougher than their record suggests, or we're just not hitting well tonight....

 

1-1 top 5th......

[kingofnerf 344]

Umpire behind the plate in the early stages of dementia and loses track of the count.  LOL

[ConwayGamecock 229]

1-1 top 5th inning:

 

Daniel Lloyd comes in for Mahoney.

The first batter he faces flies out. The next batter flies out. The next batter strikes out and Lloyd retires the side in order.....

 

bottom 5th inning:

 

Milone, Heinrich, and Callil up next.

Milone is walked. Heinrich hits into the 2nd double play of the night for him. Come on, Jeff!

Callil is walked, and the Tar Heels go to the bullpen.

 

The top of the order for the Gamecocks. Allen is walked. If it wasn't for the free passes from UNC, we'd be in serious trouble in this game. Our bats have been ice cold......

Burgess grounds out to end the threat.

 

1-1 top 6th inning.....

[kingofnerf 344]

Seems like a "bullpen" game pitching-wise for both teams.

[ConwayGamecock 229]

1-1 top 6th inning:

Lloyd is back out there. He walks the first batter. Walks the next. Man.....

The next batter sac bunts both men over to 3B and 2B, with 1 out. We're in trouble here, as our bats have been no-shows tonight....

The next batter grounds out to 2nd, but he drives in the go-ahead run, which may be the same as a grand slam tonight the way our hitting has gone.

The next batter grounds out for the final out, but the Tar Heels regain the lead.....

 

2-1 UNC bottom 6th.....

[ConwayGamecock 229]

2-1 UNC bottom 6th inning:

 

Well, SHUT MY MOUTH, CONWAYGAMECOCK! Sightler hits the lead-off HOME RUN, on the very first pitch!! We're tied back up! OK.....

Clarke strikes out, then forces the catcher to throw him out at 1st. Eyster strikes out swinging. This UNC pitcher has given up 7 HRs including Sightler's tonight. They may be swinging for the fences with him....

Mendham grounds out for the final out, but the Gamecocks tie the game back up.

 

2-2 top 7th......

[ConwayGamecock 229]

2-2 top 7th inning:

 

Andrew Peters comes in for Lloyd.

A ground-out, a strike out, and a fly out retires the inning in order.

 

bottom 7th inning:

A fly out, a pop-out, and a strike out for the Gamecocks answers in kind.

 

2-2 top 8th.....

[kingofnerf 344]

Gotta keep the faith tonight.

 

[ConwayGamecock 229]

2-2 top 8th inning:

Peters gets the lead-off hitter to fly out. He walks the next batter. 3rd walk of the game for the Gamecocks after the 2 walks in the 6th.

Peters strikes out the next batter. He strikes out the next for the final out.

 

2-2 bottom 8th......

[ConwayGamecock 229]

2-2 bottom 8th inning:

A new pitcher for North Carolina comes in.

The top of the order is up for the Yardcocks. Allen flies out. Burgess grounds out. Sightler is walked - Clarke is up next.

Clarke lines out for the final out.

 

2-2 top 9th inning.....

[ConwayGamecock 229]

2-2 top 9th inning:

Julian Bosnic comes in for Peters.

The lead-off batter for UNC flies out on the first pitch. The next batter pops out to 2B. The next batter grounds out to Short.

 

2-2 bottom 9th.....

[ConwayGamecock 229]

2-2 bottom 9th inning:

 

Eyster grounds out.

Mendham doubles! We've got some pressure on them now!

Milone grounds out.

Heinrich pops up to 1st. We got free baseball!

 

2-2 top 10th....

[ConwayGamecock 229]

2-2 top 10th inning:

The lead-off UNC batter singles on a bunt off of Bosnic. The next batter hits into a fielder's choice - the lead-off batter is out at 2nd.

The next batter singles and they are on 2B and 1B, with 1 out.

The next batter singles in the go-ahead run, and Bosnic isn't getting anyone out.

A double-steal gets them to 3B and 2B, with only 1 out. This is about to get ugly.

Bosnic gets a huge out via strikeout, and there are 2 outs now. Reduces the options for UNC substantially.

The next batter strikes out to end the threat! But UNC now has the lead, and it's now or never for the Gamecock bats to wake up.

Callil and then the top of the order up next....

 

3-2 UNC bottom 10th.....

[ConwayGamecock 229]

3-2 UNC bottom 10th inning:

 

Callil grounds out. Allen strikes out. Burgess strikes out.

 

North Carolina wins 3-2. Hunh....

 

After all that excitement, apparently the team didn't share in it, as they left the bats home for the game. UNC came into this game with a poor team pitching ERA, but they dominated our hitters.....

[kingofnerf 344]

We're the hunted now and we're going to get everyone's best shot.  Looking at UNC's current record this looked like a trap game for us and that's how it played out, I guess.

Pitching was good, just nothing for runs from our batting.

It's a disappointing loss, but kudos to Kingston for not wasting Brett Kerry in a lost cause and saving him for the upcoming Mizzou series at home this weekend.

The silver lining is our pitching staff is healthy (knock on wood) and pretty good and I am sure we will work on our hitting before the Mizzou series.

The bragging rights thing with UNC is not a big deal for me because we don't play the Tar Heels enough in any one sport for it to matter.  Playing their MBB team every year or so in the regular season would make it mean more, but we obviously don't try to do that.

 

[Longhaul 386]

Not really concerned with mid-week games just win the weekends and the conference games and the rest will take care of itself.