South Carolina vs. The Citadel game recap: Gamecocks rally to beat Bulldogs 11-7

South Carolina’s offense was lackluster for the better part of the game against The Citadel on Tuesday night, but they came through in the end with a rally to help keep USC’s perfect record this season intact.

The Bulldogs took an early lead, going up 2-0 in the first inning when Crosby Jones knocked an RBI single and Noah Mitchell hit into a run-scoring double play. The Gamecocks ended the shutout in the third inning. Joe Satterfield walked to start things off, Brennan Milone doubled, and Brady Allen walked with one out to load the bases. Satterfield later scored on a two-out error, then Josiah Sightler came through with a two-run double and a wild pitch brought Wes Clarke home to make it 4-2 Carolina. The Citadel got one run back in the bottom of the inning on a Tyler Corbitt groundout, making the score 4-3.

Both teams scored again in the fourth. In the top of the inning, Satterfield led off with a single, then scored on a sac bunt from George Callil. The Bulldogs answered in the bottom of the inning with a run-scoring base hit from Travis Lott to make it a 5-4 game. The Citadel regained the lead in the sixth inning courtesy of a Cole Simpson homer that put them up 6-5.

That score held until the eighth inning, when the Gamecocks rallied to score six runs and take back the lead for good. Satterfield doubled with one out to get things going, Milone walked, and with two outs, Allen knocked a base hit to tie the game. Braylen Wimmer followed with an RBI double that put USC up 7-6, then Clarke was intentionally walked to load the bases and Sightler came through again with a two-run single, making it 9-6 Cocks. The final two runs came on a double by Andrew Eyster.

Sightler also started for South Carolina and worked two innings, giving up four hits and two runs, while not walking any batters or striking any out. Magdiel Cotto, Will Sanders, Wesley Sweatt, Jackson Phipps, and Andrew Peters combined to go the rest of the way for the Gamecocks, and Peters got the win, making him 2-0. Bulldogs reliever Logan Barker took the loss and is now 0-1. Sightler and Satterfield each had two hits in the game, and Sightler also tallied four RBI.

USC improves to 11-0 on the season, while The Citadel drops to 4-7. The Gamecocks will be back in action on Friday, when they start a series on the road against Texas. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in Austin.