Roth, Wingo & Bradley, oh my!
On Sunday, the Gamecocks started their quest for back-to-back Men’s College World Series. The game started out rocky with the Aggies getting four unearned runs to start the game. But, the Gamecocks answered run for run in the bottom half of the first. Their first run came when Ross Stripling balked. Two more Gamecocks crossed home plate on an error by second baseman Andrew Callazo. All of this scoring occured with one out. Peter Mooney tied the game with a RBI.
After that excitement, the game was pretty quiet for the next seven innings. For example, Gamecock’s starter, Michael Roth needed just eight pitches to get through the fourth inning. Roth and Stripling had very similar lines by the end of the night. Roth threw eight strikeouts, while Stripling fanned six Gamecocks. The only difference in their respective lines was Roth gave up no earned runs, while Stripling gave up two. Roth joked in the post game conference that it “wouldn’t be Carolina baseball without giving up a few runs in the first inning.”
In the bottom of the ninth, catcher Robert Beary just missed a game winning homer. The Gamecocks had to settle for a double. Scott Wingo added to his 4-4 night by hitting a game winning single (with the bases loaded) on an 0-2 count. Beary later said in the press conference that he was just trying to get a hit for his dad who is currently serving in Afghanistan.
Jackie Bradley, Jr. surprised some by returning to the lineup for the first time in 26 games. He went 1-4 with a single in his second at-bat. Tanner said in the post game conference that he decided to have Bradley bat lower in the order so he wouldn’t be under too much pressure if he were higher.
Game 2 is Tuesday at 7 PM against the Virgina Cavaliers.
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