South Carolina embarrassed in blowout run-rule loss to Texas A&M

It’s been tough enough for South Carolina to win in the SEC this year. It’s been even tougher when it has found itself playing from behind in most games.

The first inning has proven to be a challenge for the team’s starting pitchers to get through. A scoreless inning can set the tone for a good start. A bad one quickly puts the offense in an immediate hole to come back from.

In seven games during SEC play, the Gamecocks (20-16, 2-12 SEC) have given up at least one run in the first inning. That trend continued on Friday as Matthew Becker quickly surrendered four runs. Things only got worse from there in a 17-0 run-rule loss to Texas A&M.

The first sign of trouble came when the first three batters all reached base against Becker. Then, with the bases loaded and one out, the Aggies scored four runs in their next three at-bats. In the inning, Becker plunked two batters, the second bringing home the game’s first run. He hit another in the third to finish with three in his outing.

With those four runs allowed, South Carolina has given up 23 runs in the first inning since SEC play began. The Gamecocks are now 1-6 when the other team has scored first in those seven games.

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Becker never got into a rhythm as he only lasted three innings. He gave up another pair of runs in the third when Kaeden Kent sent a two-run homer into the visitor’s bullpen. The left-hander finished his evening allowing six runs on four hits. He struck out five and walked one, but again, the three hit-by-pitches were worrisome.

Even when Becker came out, it never got better for the rest of the pitching staff. Cooper Parks came in starting in the fourth and didn’t last long. He looked to be on his way to getting out of a bases-loaded jam on a two-out pop fly into shallow left. But Henry Kaczmar couldn’t fully camp under the ball as it dropped in for a hit and plated two runs.

Parks didn’t do himself any favors in the fifth when he got into another bases-loaded situation, this time with no outs. The right-hander came out of the game after that, finishing with five walks and five runs.

All of the runs that came from the Aggies in that inning were when Roman Kimball took over on the mound. In a no-win spot, he was only charged with four of the seven runs that Texas A&M scored. They came with two outs when Bear Harrison, who drove in seven runs on Friday, hit a grand slam with two strikes.

It was also a rough night offensively as South Carolina struggled against Aggie left-hander Justin Lamkin. He pitched six shutout innings and gave up three hits with five strikeouts and one walk.

Up next: South Carolina will wrap up its three-game series on Saturday, as the Aggies will go for the sweep. First pitch is at 3 p.m. on SEC Network Plus. The Gamecocks haven’t named a starting pitcher at this time.

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