For most of the night, South Carolina had done little to nothing with runners on base. Through seven innings, the Gamecocks were 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
Then Dylan Brewer came up to bat with a chance to break that skid. With a runner on second and one out in the eighth, Brewer unloaded on an 0-1 pitch and laced a deep fly ball into the right center field gap.
Talmadge LeCroy scored from second without much worry. Brewer chugged his way around second and dashed for third. Though he would be originally called safe at third, the call was eventually changed to an out.
But either way, it didn’t really make much of a difference. Brewer had given South Carolina (23-10, 6-6 SEC) some much-needed life to hold on to win 2-1 over No. 13 North Carolina on Tuesday in Charlotte.
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Coming into the game, Brewer had been 9-for-55 (.155) at the plate since March 9. But the Gamecock centerfielder had a big night as he went 3-for-4.
Dylan Eskew got the start on the mound after making his last two appearances out of the bullpen. In what was a chance to bounce back, he only last 3.1 innings. Although, he didn’t allow a run and gave up four hits while striking out one and walking two.
But with him working into jams as his start went on, a change became apparent before things unraveled. So the Gamecocks turned to Kimball, who quickly got a 6-4-3 double play to end the fourth.
And in the fifth, Kimball would show some of his best stuff of the whole season as he retired the side in order. He did it all with three straight strikeouts.
He’d continue to pitch well going into the sixth as he finished his night with five strikeouts to one walk while throwing 39 pitches. Including his last outing against Texas A&M, he’s now allowed one run while striking out nine and walking three over his last six innings of work.
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After Parker Marlatt blew South Carolina’s 1-0 lead in the seventh, Connor McCreery came in and picked up a strikeout to prevent further damage.
Normally in these situations, the Gamecocks would turn to their big guns like Chris Veach and Garrett Gainey. But instead, they road the hot hand McCreery in the eighth. And after a bad pickoff throw advanced the tying run to second base, the right-hander responded with a strikeout to get out of the jam.
Back out for the ninth, McCreery retired the side in order to finish off an incredible outing. He ended his night going 2.1 innings, allowing one hit while striking out five. He did it all on 35 pitches, the most he’s thrown this season.
Up next: South Carolina will head to Gainesville for a rematch of last year’s Super Regional. The Gamecocks will face No. 24 Florida for the start of a three-game series on Friday. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network Plus. Right-hander Eli Jones (2-2, 3.89 ERA) would be the presumable starter on the mound.
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