COLUMBIA — One big inning was the story of the day, and the series.
On Friday, South Carolina couldn’t find a productive offensive frame and lost 2-1. One arrived during a 6-3 win in Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader, but two more went to Arkansas in Game 2, leading to a 9-6 Razorbacks win and the taking of the series.
USC has lost four of its six SEC series.
Saturday’s trouble started in the second inning of the second game, Arkansas’ Nolan Souza reaching on a throwing error from shortstop Lee Ellis. Ellis started in place of Will Tippett, who took a pitch off the helmet during Friday’s game.
Unnerved, pitcher Dylan Eskew plunked Peyton Holt and then walked Ross Lovich to load the bases. Eskew worked a fielder’s choice to notch the frame’s second out, but then Eskew threw a wild pitch to let another run in.
Parker Rowland doubled to left to make it three runs, all unearned. The Gamecocks (27-13, 9-9 SEC) never got even, especially when Arkansas (34-6, 14-4) posted a five-spot in the seventh, although they got it into one-swing territory with three runs in the eight.
Ellis doubled to start the ninth and came around to score. USC had the tying run on deck, but Ethan Petry fouled out to third and Parker Noland struck out to end the threat and the series.
Still kicking rocks after a 2-1 loss on Friday where USC went 1-of-9 with runners in scoring position, including stranding two with nobody out and the top of the order coming to the plate, the Gamecocks came out swinging in Game 1. Talmadge LeCroy smacked a two-run single in the second after the men above him worked two walks and a sacrifice bunt, and that was enough to hold USC until the sixth.
Riding ace pitcher Eli Jones, who scattered seven hits and a run over four innings with three strikeouts and a walk, USC kept Arkansas off the scoreboard outside of a fourth-inning sacrifice fly. Matthew Becker, who was being considered to start the final game of the series, relieved as USC broke open the game.
Austin Brinling, who started his first game on Friday and batted leadoff in his second on Saturday, came to the plate looking to redeem himself after being picked off for the second time in two games. He singled to drive in Gavin Casas in the sixth and the Razorbacks began to plot.
They intentionally walked Cole Messina to load the bases and face Petry, who drove in a run with a groundout. Noland picked him up with a two-run single laced to right, and the win was nearly clinched.
Reliever Garrett Gainey gave up a leadoff home run in the ninth but coaxed a groundout from Ben McLaughlin. But then Arkansas collected three straight singles to load the bases with one out, which brought Connor McCreery from the bullpen.
McCreery traded a run for an out and then struck out Jayson Jones to end it.
The Gamecocks do not play a midweek game this week due to exams but will host their second straight home series next weekend. League-leading Kentucky comes to town for a three-game set beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday.
