Gamecocks Roll Past Cougars 8-2 as Schnall Flags Free-Pass Problem
South Carolina baseball extended its fall exhibition slate on Friday, with head coach Kevin Schnall and the Gamecocks beating College of Charleston 8-2 in a neutral-site game at Segra Park, home of the Columbia Fireflies. The win moves South Carolina to 2-0 this fall, following a 15-2 victory over High Point on Oct. 9.
The lineup resembled the first exhibition, the offense looked comfortable, and plenty of pitchers got work against a somewhat familiar opponent. (No live stats were available, so the source said official numbers would be added later.)
Familiar Faces in Both Dugouts
The night included several reunions:
- Chad Holbrook coaches College of Charleston. He spent nearly a decade at South Carolina, first as an assistant and then as head coach from 2013-17.
- Monte Lee joined him as the Cougars’ new assistant head coach. Lee was a South Carolina assistant from 2023-26 (and 2003-08) and became interim head coach after Paul Mainieri was fired last year.
- Carter Harrington, a Columbia native and sophomore who previously pitched at Charleston, faced his former team and threw one scoreless inning with a strikeout.
Injury Watch: Tyler Bak
Senior outfielder Tyler Bak left in the top of the fourth with an apparent upper-body injury. After singling, he dove back into first on a pick-off attempt and came up in pain. He left with a trainer and was replaced by Marshall transfer Evan Bottone.
Schnall said Bak left because of his shoulder but gave no further details. Bak was seen signing autographs after the game and appeared fine.
Context: Bak started 55 games last year after transferring from Wake Forest, hitting .247 and leading the team with nine steals.
Analysis: In a fall exhibition, caution is normal, and the autograph session is a reassuring sign. Still, shoulder injuries in baseball are worth watching.
Big Nights for Shouse and Costello
Connor Shouse, the Texas Tech transfer, continued to show why he was a coveted portal target:
- 2-for-3 at the plate
- RBI triple in the third
- Lead-off double in the sixth
- Three RBI
- Started in left field and pitched the ninth inning
Andrew Costello went 2-for-3 with two hard-hit singles, one driving in a run. The team finished with 11 hits. Schnall’s explanation:
“We were aggressive on the bases. We bunched some good quality at-bats.”
Analysis: Shouse’s ability to hit, play the field and pitch gives Schnall roster flexibility, which matters in a long season.
Pitching: Good and Bad
South Carolina allowed two runs on five hits. Nine pitchers appeared, no one was responsible for more than one run, and the staff struck out more than 17. The problem was command: six walks in the game, and Schnall’s blunt assessment of the left-handers and the overall free passes:
“Some good things and some bad things… Our left-handed pitchers got to get better. They didn’t throw well tonight. The two innings they scored, we had two frees, seven frees on the night, four wild-pitch pass balls. You can’t win big games if you’re going to do that.”
He balanced that with the strikeouts, but added:
“But, if we’re playing in a regional final game, seven frees, four wild-pitch pass balls, you don’t win those games.”
Remaining Fall Schedule
- Friday, Oct. 23: vs. Winthrop, 4 p.m.
- Sunday, Nov. 1: vs. Duke, 1 p.m., Fifth Third Park in Spartanburg, S.C.
Key Takeaways
- Offense is humming: 11 hits and two exhibition wins by a combined 23-4.
- Command is the concern: Schnall wants fewer free passes and wild pitches.
- Bak’s status is the main health question.
- Shouse is a standout early in the fall.
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