South Carolina’s offense stayed hot on Sunday, as the Gamecocks scored double digit runs for the second game in a row to clinch the series against Missouri.
The Tigers took an early lead, going up 1-0 in the first on a leadoff home run from Mark Vierling. USC answered in the bottom of the inning though, taking a 2-1 lead after Brady Allen knocked a base hit to start things off, Wes Clarke walked with two outs, and David Mendham brought them both home with a single. The Cocks added two more runs in the next inning, as Colin Burgess led off with a double and Brennan Milone followed with a dinger, making it 4-1.
Mizzou got one run back in the fourth on a solo shot by Joshua Day to make it a 4-2 game. Carolina responded by tacking on a few more insurance runs in the next inning. Allen walked to start things off, Braylen Wimmer singled, and Josiah Sightler got hit to load the bases with no outs. Andrew Eyster came through with a one-out sac fly to bump the score to 5-2, then after Mendham walked, Burgess contributed a two-run single to put the home team up 7-2.
The Tigers again got a run back in the sixth and another another in the seventh, courtesy of a RBI singles from Garrett Rice and Brandt Belk that made it 7-4. That was the end of their scoring for the day, but USC was far from done. The Gamecocks bumped the score to 8-4 in the bottom of the seventh after Sightler knocked a base hit and Clarke and Eyster walked to load the bases again and Mendham followed with an RBI sac fly.
The Gamecocks really broke things wide open in the eighth. George Callil started things off with a double, then scored on an RBI double by Allen. Wimmer then walked, Allen came home on a wild pitch, and an RBI single from Sightler scored Wimmer. With one, Esyter went yard to bring in the final runs of the game.
South Carolina starter Will Sanders worked four innings and gave up four hits and two runs, didn’t walk any batters, and struck six out. Brett Kerry and Brett Thomas combined to go the rest of the way, and Kerry got the win, making him 3-0. Missouri starter Zach Hise took the loss and drops to 0-4. Allen led the Cocks at the plate with three hits, while Eyster and Mendham each tallied three RBI.
USC improves to 21-9 overall and 8-4 in the SEC, while the Tigers are now 11-19 overall and 4-8 in conference play. The Gamecocks will be back in action on Tuesday, when they host Charleston Southern. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. at Founders Park.