The Gamecock baseball team’s goal all season has been to host an NCAA Regional site and an NCAA Super Regional site. 

Following an inconsistent year, which saw them lose six straight games to end the regular season, the Gamecocks were relying on a more convincing run of games in the SEC Tournament to achieve those goals.

The Gamecocks, the No. 10 seed, surpassed expectations in the tournament but were ultimately knocked out in the semifinals by the No. 11 seed LSU after blowing an eight-run lead. 

South Carolina started its SEC Tournament run with a matchup against No. 7 Alabama, where they won 10-5. Dylan Eskew got the start for the Gamecocks, but Chapin product Chris Veach kept them in the game.

Veach delivered 5.2 innings of shutout baseball and was credited with the win, his fourth of the year. 

“I figured that they were sitting on (the changeup) the way they were weight shifting in the box,” Veach said. “You just kinda got to mix it up, that’s why I slide-stepped a fastball a couple of times, and hanged my leg and wait a little bit and throw.”

The Gamecocks followed this performance up with a 6-5 win over No. 2 seed Arkansas. The game was tied heading into the ninth inning when catcher Cole Messina hit a two-run home run to take a 6-4 lead. 

In the bottom half of the inning, Garrett Gainey recorded the first out before surrendering three straight singles to bring the Razorbacks within one point. 

“I had to settle myself in and just try and dial it in,” Gainey said. “Felt like my stuff was kind of getting out over the plate more than the other two innings, so it was getting hit around a little bit.” 

Ultimately, a fielder’s choice and a flyout helped Gainey and the Gamecocks close the game and move into the winner’s bracket.

“That’s the team I think we’re capable of being on any given day,” Kingston said. “We beat one of the best teams in the country, so again, it’s just something we will have to continue to build on.”

South Carolina’s next opponent was No. 11 seed LSU, where they lost 11-10 in heartbreaking fashion. The offense showed up with Messina recording another six RBIs and a grand slam. 

What hurt the Gamecocks the most in this contest was their four errors. These errors contributed to LSU’s three unearned runs in the game. 

South Carolina was leading 10-9 going into the ninth when LSU scored on a sacrifice fly to tie the game, bringing up former Gamecocks Michael Braswell III. Braswell then singled to left, bringing home the go-ahead run with two outs. 

South Carolina then recorded its final three outs in four batters. 

“Clearly (the errors) were the difference in the game, they made no errors, we made four,” head coach Mark Kingston said.

With their loss to LSU, the Gamecocks then had to play the next day against No. 3 seed Kentucky, who were fresh off a win against Arkansas. 

South Carolina’s defensive woes continued in this game. They recorded 3 errors on the day, which led to another three unearned runs, but the team’s pitching kept the earned runs down to a minimum, only allowing two. 

True freshman Parker Marlatt pitched 3.2 innings of one-run ball for the Gamecocks. Marlatt struck out six of the 13 batters he faced and only allowed three base runners.

Marlatt’s performance on the mound kept South Carolina in the lead as the Gamecocks failed to plate any runs after the fifth inning.

Marlatt handed the ball off to Matthew Becker, who pitched the final 1.2 innings for the Gamecocks to see out their 6-5 win, moving them on to the semifinals. 

“I’m very happy for [the pitchers],” Kingston said. “They just faced potentially the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and gave up two earned runs. Couldn’t be more happy for them.”

With South Carolina in the semifinals, they would face LSU once more, but the team was ultimately knocked out in an even more heartbreaking fashion than their first loss to the Tigers. 

It was another high-scoring affair, as the two teams were tied at 10 runs apiece going into extra innings. The Gamecocks got a few runners on base in the top of the 10th with two outs when Blake Jackson attempted to steal home but was tagged out at the plate to supposedly end the top half of the frame.

After about 20 minutes of umpire conferences, deliberations and a head coach ejection, the runner was ruled safe due to LSU committing catcher’s interference by covering the plate. 

The batter, Parker Noland, was awarded first base after it was also ruled that the pitcher balked on his throw to the plate. 

LSU was going to protest this call, and in doing so, had to drop the ball on the ground to make it a “live ball,” allowing Messina to steal third base. However, LSU changed its mind and did not protest the call but Messina was allowed to remain on third base.

“I’ve played five years of college baseball and I haven’t seen anything to that scale,” Noland said. “It worked out in our favor, and we were just focused on getting back on the field and stopping them from scoring.”

One pitch later, the frame ended on a groundout to the second baseman. LSU then hit a walk-off two-run home run to end South Carolina’s tournament.

“I don’t know why every time we play LSU it gets crazier and crazier and crazier, but that seems to be the trend,” Kingston said. “I wish we came out on top for our fans, for our players, just not meant to be sometimes.”

Despite falling short of winning the SEC Championship, South Carolina qualified for the NCAA Regional Tournament, which will be played this weekend.

They will play their regional matchups in Raleigh, North Carolina against No. 10 national seed N.C. State, Bryant University and James Madison University. Super Regional sites are decided after the Regional Tournaments on June 4, meaning if enough dominos fall the team’s goals from preseason are still in reach.