FINAL: Parker Marlatt Steadies Ship, Has Career Day In South Carolina's 6-5 Win Over Kentucky

Andrew Lyon | May 24, 2024

May 22 2024; Hoover, AL, USA; South Carolina players including pitcher Garrett Gainey and catcher Cole Messina celebrate after the Gamecocks held on for a 6-5 win over Arkansas at the Hoover Met during the SEC Tournament. / Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA

One of the beautiful things about postseason baseball is that you sometimes see players who may have not necessarily excelled from a statistical standpoint in the regular season make a great individual play or plays that helps their team win a critical game. South Carolina's baseball team needed that in their Friday afternoon elimination game against the Kentucky Wildcats in the SEC Tournament, as they went deep into their bullpen searching for pitchers who could give them valuable innings.

A continuing trend of fielding mishaps compounded the whittling pitching depth, with starter Dylan Eskew giving up two runs in his two innings of work, but one of them being unearned due to an error from second baseman Parker Noland. The Gamecocks would mount a quick response in the bottom of the second inning, as infielder Gavin Casas would crush a Mason Moore breaking ball into the trees past the right field fence. In the fourth inning, a tough, hard-liner hit to Casas at third base wouldn't be corralled, leading to another Kentucky run, which was then followed by a bases-loaded walk, giving the Cats' a 4-3 lead. Parker Marlatt, who came on in relief of Tyler Dean, would end the half-inning with a strikeout.

South Carolina wouldn't wait long to get back out in front, as in the bottom of the fifth inning, Will Tippett would hit a solo homer, and Blake Jackson, Cole Messina, Parker Noland, Kennedy Jones, and Dalton Reeves would all reach base via a walk or hit-by-pitch, leading to three runs and a 6-4 lead for the Gamecocks. Marlatt would then take control on the mound for Mark Kingston's squad, pitching a season-high three and two-third innings, allowing just two baserunners, and giving up one run in the eighth inning while striking out six batters. Matthew Becker would come on with one out in the top of the eighth and be the recipient of another fielding gem from Ethan Petry in the tournament, who dove and caught a hard liner from Nolan McCarthy and doubled up the lone baserunner at second. Becker would get the final three outs of the game on eleven pitches.

Carolina will get a revenge opportunity against the LSU Tigers in the semifinals on Saturday afternoon.

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