Grayson Greiner's homer started the Gamecock rally (file photo)
If USC goes on to make a run this season they might look back at a come from behind win over Mississippi State in an SEC series opener as the catalyst. The 9th ranked Gamecocks scored four runs in the bottom of the 8th inning to rally past Bulldogs 7-6 Friday night at Carolina Stadium. All four of the runs came with two outs.
Time will tell just how significant the victory was, but it already stands as a major plot point for a team that has ended up on the wrong end of these one run games more often than not this year.
“I’d like to look back in two or three weeks and say ‘you know this coming from behind against Mississippi State in the first game was a big game for us’,” said Gamecock skipper Ray Tanner. “I don’t know that it will be that way necessarily, but certainly tonight it was a big win for us. Just tickled to death we were able to come back and win. We’ve had some tough losses and one came back to us tonight.”
The Gamecocks were in serious trouble when their half of the eighth inning started. Trailing 6-3, Christian Walker led off the inning with a strikeout. LB Dantzler followed with a pop out to the shortstop. That brought Grayson Griener to the plate with two outs and Carolina’s chances for a win looking pretty bleak. That outlook changed in a hurry.
Greiner hit the first pitch he saw over the left field wall to make it 6-4. Adam Matthews followed with a single. Brison Celec pinch hit for Kyle Martin and doubled to put runners on second and third. Sean Sullivan pinch hit for Chase Vergason and tripled to tie the game at six. Then Tanner English ended up striking out swinging at a pitch so wild it made it past the catcher and to the backstop, allowing him to reach first and the go ahead run to score.
Matt Price pitched a perfect ninth to earn his second save of the season and seal the Gamecock win. Evan Beal only threw four pitches and recorded just one out, but he earned the win in relief.
The comeback got starting pitcher Michael Roth off the hook from a shaky outing. The Gamecock ace gave up four runs in the sixth and left the game with Carolina trailing 5-3. Roth allowed five earned runs in his 5 1/3 innings of work. He struck out two and walked three. Tyler Webb relieved Roth and gave up one run in his 2 ½ innings of work before giving way to Beal.
USC improves to 25-10, 6-7 in the SEC. Mississippi State falls to 21-13, 5-8 in the conference. Game two of the series is tomorrow at 4:00 at Carolina Stadium.
AUDIO: Ray Tanner postgame interview [6:48]
AUDIO: Michael Roth and Sean Sullivan postgame interview [3:46]
