GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
No. 1 LSU was two outs away from beating one of the worst teams in the Southeastern Conference at South Carolina on Thursday night.
But that old Mainieri Magic that made LSU a national champion and consistent SEC and national contender under former coach Paul Mainieri from 2007-21 struck as South Carolina scored two in the bottom of the ninth to give its first-year coach his biggest win of the season, 6-5.
The South Carolina’s radio broadcast team called it Mainieri’s first “signature win” of the season as there were not a lot from which to choose. The Gamecocks limped into their regular season finale series on a seven-game SEC losing streak and at 5-22 in the SEC on the season and 27-26 overall.
But now they’re 28-26 and 6-22 in the SEC after a dramatic ninth inning.
“Weird night for my emotions,” Mainieri said after telling various reporters throughout the week how much he loved his time at LSU. That included the 2009 national championship, a 2017 national runner-up finish, five trips to the College World Series, four SEC regular season titles and six SEC Tournament titles before retiring after the 2021 season with back and neck problems.
South Carolina players celebrate a 6-5 win over No. 1 LSU at Founders Park in Columbia, S.C., Thursday. (University of South Carolina photo).
After three seasons out, Mainieri is back.
LSU ALTERS ITS USUAL PITCHING PLAN FOR SOUTH CAROLINA
Trailing 5-4 after one out in the bottom of the ninth, South Carolina No. 8 hitter KJ Scobey launched a solo home run to left center field off top LSU reliever and Blythewood, S.C., native Zac Cowan, who transferred to LSU from Wofford in Spartanburg, S.C., after last season.
Pinch-hitter Jase Woita then tripled off Cowan, who was now rattled and hit Blake Jackson to put runners on first and third. After Cowan recovered to get Nathan Hall to pop out to first base, Cowan intentionally walked Henry Kaczmar to load the bases.
Then Cowan threw wild pitch to Cayden Gaskin that scored pinch-runner Dalton Mashore from third for the walk-off win. Cowan (3-3) took the loss. LSU, which still has a top eight national seed clinched, dropped to 40-13 and 17-11 in the SEC.
It was South Carolina’s first SEC win since beating Kentucky, 5-4, on April 26.
The two teams meet again Friday at 6 p.m. on SEC Network+.
LSU took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a two-run home run by Daniel Dickinson. South Carolina cut that to 2-1 off LSU surprise starting pitcher Conner Ware – as first reported by Tiger Rag Thursday morning. Ware walked three straight batters in the second, then allowed a sacrifice fly to Scobey and was relieved by Jaden Noot. Ware did not allow a hit, but walked four in all.
LSU took a 3-1 lead in the fifth on an RBI single by Jared Jones. South Carolina was hitless until the sixth when Nathan Hall singled off Noot and scored on Henry Kaczmar’s triple also off Noot. Chase Shores relieved and gave up a sacrifice fly by Kennedy Jones to tie it, 3-3, before getting out of the inning.
Scobey singled in the seventh and was sacrifice bunted to second. When Hall lined hard to right field for an apparent RBI single, it looked like the Gamecocks would take a 4-3 lead. But LSU right fielder Josh Pearson made a diving catch and fired to second base to get Scobey, who was on his way to third and couldn’t get back in time. The double play ended the inning.
LSU then took a 5-3 lead in the eighth on a Steven Milam sacrifice fly and RBI single by former South Carolina Gamecock Michael Braswell III, who finished 3-for-3 while being booed by his former fan base.
Kaczmar tripled off Cowan in the eighth and scored on Jones RBI single to make it 5-4. LSU put two on after two outs in the top of the ninth, but failed to score, setting up the Mainieri ninth.
“We didn’t play great,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said. “And this time of year, you don’t have time to dwell on it. It’s important with the postseason coming up, you always have to be ready to move on to the next game.”
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