Gamecocks Baseball Advances to SEC Tournament Semifinal with Friday Win over Kentucky
HOOVER – In a thrilling match-up, the University of South Carolina baseball team secured a spot in the semifinals of the 2024 SEC Baseball Tournament with a hard-fought 6-5 victory over Kentucky on Friday afternoon (May 24) at the Hoover Met.
Kentucky initially took the lead, scoring two runs in the second inning. However, the Gamecocks quickly responded, with Gavin Casas smashing a powerful home run to right field in the third inning, propelling South Carolina to a 3-2 advantage after scoring Dalton Reeves and Parker Noland.
Although Kentucky reclaimed the lead in the fourth inning with two unearned runs, South Carolina rallied in the fifth inning, scoring three crucial runs. Will Tippett started the inning with a solo home run to left, followed by Kennedy Jones being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Dalton Reeves drawing a walk, putting the Gamecocks back in front.
Despite Kentucky closing the gap with a run in the eighth inning, a game-saving double play initiated by Ethan Petry and a flawless ninth inning by Matthew Becker secured the Gamecocks’ victory.
Key Performances and Milestones
Parker Marlatt stood out in relief, earning the win with six strikeouts and only allowing one run on two hits in 3.2 innings. Gavin Casas delivered a standout performance with three RBIs, including his fifth career home run against Kentucky.
Next Steps
The Gamecocks will face No. 11 seed LSU in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament on Saturday afternoon (May 25) at 1 p.m. EDT (12 p.m. CDT). The highly anticipated match will be televised on SEC Network.
