Gamecocks extend win streak to six games with win over Gardner Webb

Coming off of their first SEC series win of the season, the No. 14 South Carolina Gamecocks stayed hot by defeating Gardner-Webb 9-4, extending their winning streak to six games.

Mahoney, who had nine relief appearances for USC on the season, earned his first win in his first career start, allowing a single run on six hits in four innings of work.

“It’s two different mindsets. As a starter you are trying to conserve pitches a little bit,” said Mahoney of his new role. “It gave me more time to work with, and I could control the pace of the game.”

Mahoney’s success as a starter follows fellow freshman Will Sanders, who allowed just three combined hits in two starts last week.

“You want to be good now and you want to be good in the future,” said South Carolina head coach Mark Kingston.

Gardner-Webb deployed nine pitchers over eight innings, with none going longer than two innings. Starter Noah Davis lasted just eighteen pitches, giving up four runs on five hits and retiring zero Gamecocks.

South Carolina’s offense was spearheaded by the top of the order. Leadoff hitter Brady Allen went 2-for-4 with a homerun and three RBI. Behind him, Josiah Sightler had a pair of hits, including an RBI ground-rule double. Wes Clarke, who leads all of Division-I in home runs, would add to his season total with his fourteenth homerun of the year. Shortstop George Callil also hit his first slam of the year.

The Gamecocks (17-6, 4-2 SEC) will return to conference play this weekend with a road series against rival Georgia (17-7, 2-4 SEC). Thomas Farr and Luke Wagner, respectively, are slated to take the mound for the opener at 6 p.m. on Friday.