South Carolina Dominates Sacred Heart on Ray Tanner Day to Secure First Series Win

After a win on Opening Day Friday, South Carolina head coach Paul Mainieri sent a text to his players: “There is no way we are losing on Ray Tanner Day.”

With the Gamecocks set to honor legendary coach Ray Tanner before Saturday’s game, including a field dedication ceremony, Mainieri wanted his players focused on the win. They responded well.

With many former players, staff, and others attending the special occasion, South Carolina (2-0) easily triumphed 14-0 over Sacred Heart in seven innings.

“Great day for Ray. Great day for South Carolina athletics really,” Mainieri said. “The president was here, the athletic director was here. A lot of dignitaries. It was a beautiful day.”

Although it’s still early in the season, there’s already a noticeable difference in this Gamecock offense. While power may come later as the weather warms up (with just one home run so far), the team’s focus has been on putting the ball in play, executing hit-and-run strategies, advancing runners, and capitalizing on the opponent’s errors.

A lot of South Carolina’s early runs came thanks to mistakes from the Pioneers, which didn’t work in their favor. In the first inning, the Gamecocks loaded the bases with one out and scored three runs without a hit: walk, sacrifice fly, and wild pitch.

They added two more runs in the third before breaking the game open in the fourth. After a leadoff walk, Henry Kaczmar hit a line drive at second base, but the ball deflected off the fielder’s glove and rolled into right field. Ethan Petry then cleared the bases with a two-run double to the right-center field wall. Three more unearned runs came in the inning, thanks to two errors from Sacred Heart, as the defense struggled throughout the day.

Despite the offensive support, Matthew Becker was dominant in his first start of the season. The senior left-hander pitched five innings on just 60 pitches, allowing only one hit—a weak infield single in the second.

Becker struck out nine batters without issuing a walk and retired the last 11 batters in a row, including striking out the side in the fifth.

“I think the biggest difference isn’t really a stuff thing. I think it’s more of the mentality,” Becker said about his outing. “Getting pitch to pitch, making the out in the clutch moments, and taking that breath.”

Through the first two games, South Carolina’s starting pitchers have delivered solid performances. Between Becker and Friday’s starter Dylan Eskew, they’ve allowed just one run in 10 innings while striking out 18 batters without a walk.

With the game out of reach, Mainieri brought in freshman right-hander Ryder Garino to pitch the final two innings. Garino retired the side in order in both the sixth and seventh innings, striking out the final four batters to complete the run-rule win.

“Oh, I’m really high on Ryder Garino, and not just because he’s Italian. I don’t love Garino because he’s Italian. I love him because I’m Italian,” Mainieri joked. “He’s a strike-throwing machine and he’s going to keep getting better and better and better. But he’s thrown just about like that every single scrimmage game since he’s been here.”

As a team, South Carolina has struck out 29 batters over the first two games—16 on Friday and 13 from Becker and Garino on Saturday.

Looking ahead: South Carolina will aim for the series sweep on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for noon on SEC Network Plus, with Jake McCoy making his first start of the year.