Paul Mainieri’s remarks following South Carolina’s victory over Sacred Heart on Opening Day

In his first game as South Carolina’s head coach, Paul Mainieri reflected on the Gamecocks’ 5-3 victory over Sacred Heart in the season opener. Speaking to the media, Mainieri shared his thoughts on the win and what stood out during the game.

“It’s always fun to get that first game out of the way,” Mainieri said. “Sacred Heart was a scrappy team, but we’re not in midseason form yet, and there are always some jitters. Despite that, we did enough offensively to put up enough runs.”

Mainieri highlighted key moments in the game, emphasizing the performance of pitcher Dylan Eskew and reliever Parker Marlatt, who managed to escape a tough situation in the sixth inning. “The key was Dylan Eskew pitching well, and then Parker Marlatt getting out of that jam in the sixth,” he remarked. “It was a good win to start the season.”

When it came to Eskew’s performance, Mainieri believed the pitcher was capable of going up to 90 pitches. “He pitched his heart out. He has all the confidence in the world in his bullpen, and he’ll be relying on his relievers a lot this weekend,” Mainieri said.

The head coach also shed light on Brendan Sweeney, who is being groomed for the closer role. “We’ve been preparing him for that role. He’s a great kid, soft-spoken, but we’re trying to make him a little meaner. His nickname is the Bulldog, and he’s the kind of guy who can handle pressure situations, like the one in the ninth.”

Mainieri also addressed the team’s offensive approach, noting that while they don’t want to be defined as a small-ball team, external factors like wind conditions influenced the game. “We didn’t expect many home runs today, but Petry’s homer surprised me—it left the yard,” he said. “We knew we’d have to manufacture runs and make things happen.”

Poise is something Mainieri stresses constantly in practice, hoping it carries over to game situations. He pointed out KJ Scobey’s calm demeanor on a crucial play in the ninth inning, saying, “He’s a good kid who cares about the right things, and he’s a solid defensive third baseman. He can handle the hot corner and will make clutch plays.” Scobey had even predicted a close game, saying it would be a one-run game. “What matters is how we handled the last three innings, especially when the game was tied at three.”

Mainieri acknowledged that pitchers wouldn’t always be perfect but expressed confidence in the team’s depth. “Pitzer will be back and much better. He’s got a lot of confidence,” he explained. “South Carolina doesn’t have that one dominant arm, but we’ve got a lot of guys who will compete. We didn’t expect to strike out as many batters as we did today, but good defense was key, and we played well.”

Reflecting on his return to coaching, Mainieri described the experience as “a little bit like riding a bicycle.” “It felt good to be back out there. I enjoy being in tough moments and showing leadership,” he said. He also appreciated having his family present for the game, adding, “It was great to have them here today.”