Baseball at the break: Gameco*cks see opportunity in second half of SEC play (2024)

COLUMBIA— It’s the proverbial glass.

South Carolina, in a season when the need to win big nearly meets the expectation, has lost three of its first five SEC series and has yo-yoed in and out of the Top 25. What was thought to be this season’s biggest question— pitching— has actually been pretty good. And what was thought to be the team’s biggest strength— hitting— has also been good, except when it comes to doing it with men on base.

That glass is half-empty.

South Carolina also has a winning record in the league (8-7) despite the series losses, and while a 26-11 record at this point doesn’t raise any eyebrows, it’s easily a postseason résumé. And with some help in the home stretch, that résumé could tab the Gameco*cks as a host team for an NCAA Regional.

That glass is half-full.

“We’re trying to find the best version of ourselves, and until we feel we find it, we’re going to keep trying things,” coach Mark Kingston said during a series win at Florida last weekend. “No question today it was a good look.”

He was specifically referring to a major lineup move that he made before starting the series with the Gators, which was to install catcher Cole Messina at leadoff. Normally a third or fourth hitter, Messina responded with a 6 for 13 weekend, walking four times, stroking two doubles and driving in three.

The Gameco*cks had been hitting the ball decently all season, but were chronically helpless with runners in scoring position. On Sunday at Florida, USC was a miserable 1 of 15 … but as has been said all year, nobody much cares if runs are still being scored.

USC put up nine in the Sunday loss, which followed 10 on Friday and another nine on Saturday. That rubs away a lot of the dirt from the first half of the SEC schedule, where USC lost a couple of one-run games because it couldn’t find a big hit, but also won a couple of one-run games.

(The Gameco*cks took a one-run game on Saturday at Florida despite a bullpen meltdown that turned a 9-4 lead in the eighth into a 9-8 lead in the ninth with two men on and one out. But again, nobody minds so much because USC won)

As the focus turns to the final 15 games of SEC play, the program’s history frowns on a .500 finish but reality promotes a different tale. The Gameco*cks hosted a regional last year with a 16-13 SEC record.

Nobody aims for a barely over break-even finish, but it’s plenty good enough to get to the postseason. And South Carolina’s final 15 games, on paper, may leave folks saying that USC played extremely well to get to a 15- or 16-win SEC season.

First up is No. 2 Arkansas, which fell from No. 1 this week after dropping a series to Alabama. Then No. 3 Kentucky, the surprise of the league (and the country) with a 14-1 SEC record and leading the race for the regular-season championship. Those are back-to-back series, but both are at Founders Park.

Then there are series at Missouri and No. 4 Tennessee, with a home slate against Georgia. The Tigers are not good, but it’s on the road at a location where it’s been known to snow a day after a 70-degree game, and the Bulldogs’ 7-8 record in the league doesn’t reflect their 27-9 record overall.

USC’s hitting seems to be coming around, but the pitching rotation continues to switch other than Eli Jones in the Friday role. The Gameco*cks haven’t gotten consistency from their other starters, with many pitchers going to the bullpen, improving in a couple of relief appearances, then faltering once they got back on the starter’s mound.

Tyler Pitzer, the hero of Saturday’s win at Florida, will be available after starting Tuesday’s win at The Citadel. Matthew Becker should still stick with a starting role although he was tattooed by the Gators on Sunday.

It’s a constant puzzle, one that Kingston and pitching coach Matt Williams put together every week. The hope is that with the hitting finding a solution with Messina batting first— and Dalton Reeves earning an everyday spot in the lineup with a red-hot weekend at Florida— the pitching joins it.

The Gameco*cks look at facing No. 2 and No. 3 in back-to-back weeks as an opportunity more than a challenge. Founders Park is at their disposal.

What will the glass look like after the next two weeks?