Gamecocks sweep doubleheader over Georgia

ATHENS – South Carolina opened SEC play with a doubleheader sweep of Georgia on Saturday

Game 1

Michael Braswell’s two-run double in the top of the ninth inning propelled the University of South Carolina baseball team to a 5-4 win over Georgia Saturday afternoon (March 18) in game one of a doubleheader at Foley Field.

Carolina had a 3-1 lead after home runs from Cole Messina and Ethan Petry and an RBI double by Will McGillis, but Georgia bounced back and took a 4-3 lead in the seventh inning after a Mason LaPlante sacrifice fly.

The top of the ninth started with a hit by pitch to Talmadge LeCroy. Caleb Denny moved him over on a sacrifice bunt. McGillis walked, setting up Braswell’s pinch-hit heroics.

Chris Veach earned his first win as a Gamecocks, pitching a scoreless eighth inning with a hit, a walk and a strikeout. James Hicks picked up his second save of the year, getting Connor Tate to ground out to end the contest. Will Sanders struck out six, allowing seven hits and four runs in seven innings.

McGillis had two hits to lead Carolina’s offense.

POSTGAME NOTES

Carolina wins the SEC opener for the first time since 2017.
Messina now has nine home runs on the season after his second inning shot. His also has a team-best 29 RBI.
Hicks lowered his ERA to 0.98 after earning his second save.
The Gamecocks are now 2-1 on the road this season.
The 18-1 start matches the 2014 start at 18-1.

Game 2

South Carolina completed a doubleheader sweep of Georgia Saturday afternoon (March 18) with a 12-2, 7-inning win at Foley Field.

Ethan Petry was a perfect 4-for-4 with five RBI and two home runs in the game. Braylen Wimmer drove in three in a two-hit day, while Cole Messina, Petry, Jonathan French and Will Tippett each scored two runs in the win.

Noah Hall pitched a complete game, striking out five and allowing seven hits, two runs with no walks to improve to 4-0 on the season.

Carolina scored four runs in the third and broke it open in the fifth, scoring seven times, which included Petry’s second home run and two-run hits from Wimmer and Will McGillis.

POSTGAME NOTES

Carolina is 2-0 in SEC play for the first time since 2017.
Petry is hitting .471 with nine home runs and 30 RBI after today’s pair of games.
Hall now has 31 strikeouts compared to just seven walks in 31.1 innings pitched.
The road team has now won the last four series between the Gamecocks and the Bulldogs.
The 19-1 start is the best for the Gamecocks since the 2004 team also started 19-1.

UP NEXT Carolina and Georgia will conclude the three-game series Sunday afternoon (March 19) at 3 p.m. The game will be televised on SEC Network with Richard Cross and Lance Cormier on the call.