South Carolina Falls Short in Series Finale Against Mississippi State
In a thrilling, high-stakes finale to their three-game series, the South Carolina Gamecocks fell just short against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, dropping the game 7-5 in front of a raucous crowd at Founders Park. Despite a valiant effort, the Gamecocks were unable to overcome a series of mistakes, missed opportunities, and a late rally by the Bulldogs that ultimately secured the win. With the loss, South Carolina’s hopes of clinching the series were dashed, leaving fans and players alike to reflect on what could have been.
A Promising Start for South Carolina
The atmosphere at Founders Park was electric as the series finale began. South Carolina, coming off a hard-fought victory in the second game of the series, was determined to close out the weekend with a series win. Starting pitcher Noah Hall, who had been solid throughout the season, took the mound for the Gamecocks, looking to set the tone early. He got off to a strong start, striking out the first two batters he faced in the top of the first inning. However, Mississippi State’s leadoff hitter, Rowdey Jordan, managed to reach base after a hard-fought at-bat that resulted in a walk.
Despite the early pressure, Hall remained composed and forced a groundout to end the inning without allowing a run. The Gamecocks, known for their explosive offense, wasted no time in showcasing their power at the plate. In the bottom of the first, freshman outfielder Ethan Petry sparked the offense with a leadoff single, followed by a walk from senior infielder Braylen Wimmer. With two on and no outs, South Carolina had an excellent opportunity to jump ahead early.
The Bulldogs’ starting pitcher, Landon Sims, who had struggled in recent outings, was forced to pitch carefully. He was able to get a strikeout, but a crucial wild pitch allowed both runners to advance into scoring position. This set the stage for Gamecock senior third baseman, Cole Messina, who had been one of the team’s most consistent hitters throughout the season. With the count full, Messina took a powerful swing and sent a deep fly ball into left field, scoring Petry from third and giving South Carolina the 1-0 lead.
The crowd erupted in cheers, and it looked like the Gamecocks might be able to build momentum. But Mississippi State’s defense tightened up, and they managed to escape the inning without further damage, stranding runners on second and third.
Missed Opportunities and Defensive Struggles
As the game progressed, South Carolina’s offense showed flashes of brilliance but also continued to struggle with consistency. Despite having runners in scoring position multiple times, the Gamecocks were unable to capitalize on those opportunities. In the third inning, with two outs and runners on first and second, South Carolina’s cleanup hitter, Michael Braswell, struck out looking to end the threat. The team’s inability to bring in runners when they had the chance would come back to haunt them later in the game.
Defensively, South Carolina also made a few costly mistakes that allowed Mississippi State to hang around. In the fourth inning, with the game still tied at 1-1, Hall gave up a leadoff double to Bulldogs’ designated hitter, Hunter Hines. A sacrifice bunt moved Hines to third base, and a passed ball by catcher Braylen Wimmer allowed him to score easily. The error proved costly, as South Carolina’s defense failed to execute the fundamentals when they needed to.
Mississippi State’s starting pitcher, Sims, also began to settle in after a shaky first inning. His fastball had velocity, and his breaking ball started to find the strike zone, making it more difficult for South Carolina’s hitters to make solid contact. After the early run, Sims found a rhythm and began to retire the Gamecock hitters in order.
The Bulldogs’ bullpen also played a key role in keeping South Carolina off the scoreboard. Mississippi State’s coach, Chris Lemonis, made the decision to bring in right-handed reliever, Cade Smith, in the fifth inning. Smith provided a spark for the Bulldogs by striking out the side in his first inning of work, keeping the momentum in favor of Mississippi State.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs’ offense continued to put pressure on the South Carolina pitching staff. In the top of the sixth, Hall gave up a walk and a single to put two runners on with no outs. South Carolina’s coach, Mark Kingston, quickly made a pitching change, bringing in left-handed reliever Eli Jones to try to stem the tide. Unfortunately, Jones wasn’t able to completely shut down the Bulldogs, as Mississippi State capitalized on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly to extend their lead to 3-1.
Despite the Gamecocks’ struggles on both offense and defense, they refused to give up. In the bottom of the sixth, with the game still within reach, Messina led off the inning with a single. After a sacrifice bunt from infielder Kevin Madden, Messina advanced to second. With the game on the line, South Carolina’s top hitter, Petry, stepped to the plate. The freshman had been solid all weekend and was looking to add to his impressive season.
Petry didn’t disappoint, driving a single into center field to bring Messina home and cut the Bulldogs’ lead to 3-2. The crowd at Founders Park came alive, hoping that the Gamecocks would use the momentum to mount a comeback. Unfortunately for South Carolina, they couldn’t get any more runners across the plate in the inning, stranding Petry on base after a strikeout and a flyout.
A Late Rally by Mississippi State
The Bulldogs, however, weren’t finished. In the top of the seventh, they broke the game open with a series of timely hits. With two outs and a runner on first, Mississippi State’s infielder, RJ Yeager, launched a double into the gap, moving the runner to third. A clutch single by Bulldogs’ catcher, Logan Tanner, brought in another run, pushing the lead to 4-2. The Gamecocks were now in a hole and needed to respond quickly if they wanted to avoid a series loss.
South Carolina managed to get a runner on base in the bottom of the seventh, but once again, they were unable to capitalize. As the game entered the final innings, it seemed that Mississippi State’s experience and timely hitting were proving to be the difference. The Bulldogs added another run in the top of the eighth on an RBI single from Hines, extending their lead to 5-2.
The Gamecocks weren’t ready to go down without a fight. In the bottom of the eighth, they staged one last rally. After a leadoff double by Wimmer, and a walk to Messina, South Carolina had runners on first and second with no outs. The stage was set for Braswell, who had struggled at the plate earlier in the game. With the crowd holding its breath, Braswell hit a deep fly ball to right field, allowing Wimmer to tag up and score. The Gamecocks now trailed 5-3.
Still not out of the fight, South Carolina had the tying run at the plate in the form of Petry, who had already delivered a key RBI earlier in the game. But Mississippi State’s closer, Landon Sims, entered in the bottom of the eighth and quickly shut down the Gamecock offense, striking out two batters to retire the side.
Mississippi State Seals the Win
As the ninth inning began, the Bulldogs were not content to sit on their lead. They added two more insurance runs in the top of the ninth on a pair of singles and a throwing error by South Carolina. The Gamecocks now found themselves down by four runs, with their hopes of a comeback all but extinguished.
In the bottom of the ninth, South Carolina made one final push. After a single by Kevin Madden and a walk by Messina, the Gamecocks had the tying run on base. But Mississippi State’s Sims remained calm and collected, retiring the next three batters in order to seal the victory and secure the series win for the Bulldogs.
The 7-5 loss was a bitter pill for South Carolina, who had fought hard throughout the series but came up short when it mattered most. The Gamecocks showed resilience in their effort to claw back into the game, but a combination of missed opportunities, defensive mistakes, and clutch hitting by Mississippi State ultimately determined the outcome.
Looking Ahead
While the loss was disappointing, the Gamecocks’ performance in the series against Mississippi State still showed promise for the remainder of the season. Despite the defeat, South Carolina demonstrated they could compete with one of the top teams in the SEC, and they have several key players who have proven their ability to perform under pressure.
For head coach Mark Kingston, the series loss will undoubtedly sting, but it provides valuable lessons that the team can learn from as they prepare for future matchups. The Gamecocks will need to focus on tightening up their defense, taking advantage of scoring opportunities, and finding ways to string together consistent offensive production if they want to challenge for a postseason berth.
For Mississippi State, the win was a much-needed boost after a rough start to the season. The Bulldogs showed their championship pedigree with a well-rounded performance, with contributions from both the pitching staff and the lineup. As they move forward, Mississippi State will look to build on this momentum and climb the SEC standings.
In the end, South Carolina fell short in the series finale, but their fighting spirit and ability to bounce back from adversity provide a foundation for growth and improvement in the coming weeks. It was a tough loss, but the Gamecocks know that the season is far from over, and they will
