USC baseball coach Ray Tanner’s team is coming off a rough weekend at 14th ranked East Carolina. The Pirates took two of three in that weekend series. Greenville, North Carolina has not been a kind place to the Gamecocks lately. ECU ended the Gamecocks season last May in the final game of an NCAA Regional. They overcame a 6-0 deficit to win that game and advance to the Super Regional round. They had another comeback in the 9th inning of Saturday’s game to win 4-3. Needless to say Ray Tanner won’t be planning a second honeymoon to Greenville, North Carolina anytime soon. Then again, who would?
The Gamecocks didn’t have a terrible weekend. Tanner was very pleased with the pitching in all three games. Carolina only gave up ten runs the entire weekend. The problem was the hitting wasn’t there and too many runners were stranded on base. Also, Tanner still needs to find that elusive closer he can count on to hold a lead late in games. The Gamecocks haven’t had a reliable closer in a couple of years and that is probably why the past few seasons have ended in postseason disappointment.
Ray Tanner’s Monday afternoon chat with SCRN
On the injury front, outfield Adam Matthews has a sprained ankle and is probably going to miss the next few games. He was scheduled to have an X-Ray this afternoon. On a brighter note, Jackie Bradley Jr. is expected to make his first start of the season tomorrow. He’s has been recovering from hand surgery. He singled in his first and only at-bat of the season Sunday at East Carolina.
USC will play Prebyterian tomorrow night and then face Clemson in three games this weekend. The first game is at Clemson, the second is in Greenville at Flour Field and the third is in Columbia.
