TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Senior right hander Nathan Kilcrease pitched a complete-game five-hitter Thursday night to lead the University of Alabama baseball team to a 2-1 victory against the No. 2 University of South Carolina at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
The win improves the Crimson Tide to 32-22 overall and 14-14 in the Southeastern Conference play. It also clinches a spot in next week”s SEC tournament.
South Carolina, which had a season-low number of hits, slipped to 42-12 and 20-8.
“It was a really good night,” Alabama coach Mitch Gaspard said. “We clinched a spot to get in the (SEC) tournament, which was big, and we got a win against the No. 2 team in the country. As I told the team, with (Nathan) Kilcrease, for four years that”s what he”s done, and then when you really need one and you got to have it he has the ability to deliver and that”s what he did tonight. He went a complete game, 114 pitches working on a day”s rest, which again shows you the heart of a champion and who he is and how much he competes.”
Kilcrease (6-4) pitched his second complete game of the season, and the third of his career. He struck out five and strand nine baserunners. He pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning and stranded a pair of runners in the fifth, sixth, and one in the eighth before needing just five pitches to get through the final inning.
The Crimson Tide notched both of their runs in the top of the first courtesy of a two-run double by sophomore third baseman Brett Booth, who was 1-for-3 with two RBIs, while junior center fielder Taylor Dugas reached base in all four plate appearances and was 2-for-2 with one run scored and two walks.
South Carolina starting pitcher Michael Roth, who entered the game with a 10-2 record and 1.35 ERA, took the loss after allowing two runs (both unearned) on six hits in 5 2/3 innings.
“I”m proud of our team and our resiliency throughout the year to get to this point,” Gaspard said. “Now, with everything that happened tonight, us winning and whatever else happened around the league, we have an opportunity to win the Western Division. Now we got to keep our focus and come out and win another ballgame.”
The Gamecocks and Tide both came out swinging. South Carolina loaded the bases in the top of the first, but Kilcrease forced third baseman Adrian Morales into a fielder”s choice for the final out.
Alabama capitalized, notching a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. The Crimson Tide loaded the bases courtesy of a single, an error, and a walk before Booth ripped a 2-0 pitch to right-center field, plating Dugas and Bennett.
The Gamecocks got on the board in the fifth on an RBI single by first baseman Christian Walker. The Crimson Tide avoided further damage courtesy of an excellent defensive sequence by Hunter Gregory, Jared Reaves, and Brock Bennett.
After Walker”s deep shot to left missed clearing the wall by a few feet, Gregory scooped the ball up and hit Reaves in the cutoff position. Reaves fired a relay throw to Bennett, who retired Peter Mooney at the plate.
Alabama will look to continue its winning ways at 6:35 p.m. today. Junior left-hander Adam Morgan (5-4, 3.89 ERA) will take the mound looking for Alabama, while South Carolina will go with freshman right-hander Forrest Koumas (5-0, 3.17 ERA).
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