FINAL: Gamecocks Dominate Rubber Match Versus Belmont, Winning 12-1
Faced with their first true rubber match of the season on Sunday afternoon, Mark Kingston, like most coaches in these early-season situations, was probably looking to see how his team would handle the first bit of tangible adversity they had been dealt in non-conference play. The South Carolina Gamecocks responded in a resounding way.
After he looked dominant in two innings pitched this past weekend against Miami of Ohio, Roman Kimball struggled early with his command, as his pitches kept rising during flight, leading to him walking two of the first four batters he faced, and eventually led to Belmont's Brodey Heaton giving the Bruins a 1-0 lead off an RBI-single.
However, the Gamecocks would answer back quickly via a solo leadoff homerun from Kennedy Jones, who got the start today over Blake Jackson. South Carolina would then load the bases off a hit-by-pitch and two walks, which was followed by a bases-loaded walk drawn by Ryan Bakes and Gavin Casas, an RBI-single from Dylan Brewer and Will Tippett being hit by a pitch, which led to Kingston's squad scoring six first inning runs in total.
Jones would continue to make an impact at the plate in the 3rd inning, batting in another run on an RBI-single. In the 4th inning, Cole Messina would crush the first pitch he saw over the left centerfield wall for a two-run homer, extending the Gamecocks lead to 9-1. On the mound, Kimball would settle in after a bumpy first inning, only allowing one hit while striking out three. Matthew Becker would come on in relief in the 5th, and pieced together a solid outing of his own right, allowing just four baserunners in three innings while striking out five.
The Gamecocks would end the game in style, as Cole Messina would blast one over the left field wall in the 8th inning for his second homer of the game, and one that ended the series via the run-rule. South Carolina will be back in Founders Park on Tuesday night when they take on the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs.
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