Another walk-off win as South Carolina sweeps Missouri

South Carolina has started the 2023 season by winning 23 of its first 25 games and sweeping the first two SEC series for the first time since 2016. And the Gamecocks are finding different ways to keep winning.

That was on display Saturday when USC (23-2, 6-0 SEC) won both games of a doubleheader from Missouri.

South Carolina won the first game 8-1 behind a dominant pitching performance from Noah Hall and by hitting four home runs.

The No. 11 Gamecocks then completed the series sweep when freshman Ethan Petry drove home Will Tippett in the 12th inning Saturday night for a 5-4 walk-off win.

It was the second time in three games the Gamecocks defeated the Tigers with the final at-bat. South Carolina rallied with four runs in the ninth inning Friday to earn another walk-off win.

No. 22 Missouri (17-6, 3-3) was coming off a sweep of then No. 2 Tennessee last weekend.

“I’m very proud of that group in the locker room,” USC coach Mark Kingston said. “That second game (Saturday) could have gotten away from us, but we really kept fighting. There’s a lot of heart in that locker room and they deserved to win both.

“This means we have a good team that likes to play, that doesn’t take the easy way out and say they’re happy with one win and will mail it in the second game.”

Petry, who also homered in the first game Saturday, was responsible for forcing extra innings in the series finale. He tied things with a towering two-run shot in the eighth inning. Gavin Casas walked to lead off the inning, and Petry blasted his 12th home of the season well over the bullpen in left-center field.

Petry is leading the team in hitting with a .444 average, and his 12 home runs are second to the 13 hit by Casas. South Carolina has 64 home runs in 25 games after hitting 58 total last season. Carson Hornung hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning of Game 3 that staked USC to an early 2-0 lead.

“It’s almost like (Petry) has elevated his play in SEC play,” Kingston said. “Great players get even better on bigger stages, and he’s been that guy so far.”

South Carolina used six pitchers in the nightcap, with Matthew Becker picking up the win. Jack Mahoney, who was on an IV before the game after battling an illness on Friday night, only 4.1 innings. Mahoney allowed two runs on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Eli Jones, Chris Veach, Cade Austin, Austin Williamson, Eli Jerzembeck and Becker finished it off.

Becker, the Chapin native, came on with runners on first and third and no outs in the 10th inning and got out of the jam. A shallow pop-up to right field wasn’t deep enough to score the runner from third. Becker then got a pop foul out to Messina behind the plate and a fly ball to right field to end the threat.

Becker pitched the final three innings and didn’t allow a run on two hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Veach pitched in both games and struck out seven of the eight batters he faced. Austin also pitched in both games, allowing one base runner in two innings pitched.

“A lot of guys in the bullpen are starting to settle into their roles,” Hall said. “It’s good to pass the ball to someone who is going to come in and give it their all.”

The first game was all about the effort of Hall, who improved to 5-0. The senior right-hander allowed one run on five hits in seven innings of work. He struck out 10 and walked one. After giving up an RBI double to Ty Wilmsmeyer with one out in the fourth inning, Hall retired the final 11 batters he faced and lowered his ERA to 2.35.

“I felt pretty good,” Hall said. “The whole time I was just thinking about what I needed to do to win. It was close in the beginning, so I was just trying to battle the other pitcher to get the W.”

Petry, Evan Stone and Gavin Casas each hit home runs in the first game Saturday, but it was the power display by Stone that was most surprising.

In the fourth inning, Stone smashed a ball off the batter’s eye in center field that traveled approximately 414 feet. He’s more known for his speed and getting on base than for hitting the ball out of the park.

He later added a two-run shot just over the wall in left field, giving him the first two home runs of his college career.

“I’m just going to stick to what I do and hit hard line drives in the gaps and get on and find ways to score for the team,” Stone said.

Will McGillis injury update

South Carolina infielder Will McGillis will miss four to six weeks with a broken arm, Kingston confirmed. McGillis was injured Friday night when he was hit by a pitch early in the game. McGillis was in the dugout Saturday with his arm heavily wrapped and in a sling.

McGillis, the senior transfer from Southern Miss, started the first 23 games of the season and is hitting .297 with 10 home runs and 22 RBIs.

Next four USC baseball games

Tuesday: at The Citadel, 7 p.m. (ESPN Plus)

Thursday: at Mississippi State, 7 p.m. (SEC Network)

Friday: at Mississippi State, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)

Saturday: at Mississippi State, 3 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)