South Carolina suffers disastrous series loss to Oklahoma after blowing late lead
Disaster unfolded at Founders Park on Sunday afternoon.
With two outs to go, South Carolina looked to be on its way to a massive series win to open SEC play. But a series of misplays in the ninth inning allowed Oklahoma to tie the game. With a clean slate going into extra innings, the Sooners were quick to capture the lead on a go-ahead solo homer by Jason Walk that proved to be the difference in a stunning 6-5 loss for the Gamecocks.
It had been a back-and-forth affair as South Carolina (17-5, 1-2 SEC) already blew a pair of leads earlier in the game. But things looked to be looking up after it reclaimed the lead in the seventh. And with closer Brendan Sweeney having struck out the side in the eighth.
After recording the first out on a flyout to begin the ninth, Sweeney walked the next batter to put the tying run at the plate. The first mistake came when a hard-hit ball towards shortstop went by Henry Kaczmar’s glove and went into the outfield.
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The Gamecocks nearly got out of trouble on a potential double play ball that Oklahoma’s Jaxon Willits barely beat out on the throw to first base. Now just one out away, still leading by two runs, Dayton Tockey hit a ground ball towards the right side of the infield with the shift on. However, Jordan Carrion couldn’t make the play as the ball booted off him and rolled into right field.
The Sooners scored one run on the play and stayed alive. In their next at-bat, Kyle Branch tied the game with an RBI single that got through the middle of the infield.
After Oklahoma took the lead in the following inning, South Carolina still had one more chance to extend the game or win it in the tenth. But with two on and one out, Evan Stone and Ethan Petry each lifted pop-ups into shallow right field for the final two outs to seal the deal.
Up next: South Carolina will make the short trip over to Segra Park to face Charleston on Tuesday. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network Plus.
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