OPINION: South Carolina's Baseball Program Is At A Crossroads

Andrew Lyon | May 12, 2024

A snapshot from the backstop at Founders Park / BART BOATWRIGHT/Staff/File

Wins and losses are a part of baseball, no matter how much talent one team possesses. You could be talking about those dynamite Atlanta Braves teams from the 90s or those Gamecock teams that went to Omaha from 2010 to 2012. No team ever goes through a season unblemished, but that reality is beginning to test even the most diehard South Carolina baseball fan.

This weekend, the Gamecocks were swept on their home turf for the first time since 2019, 1,833 days ago, when the Vanderbilt Commodores swept them. In those 1,833 days, a lot has changed regarding programs South Carolina plays at least every other year. Tennessee is witnessing its most successful stretch in program history, having made three Super Regional and two College World Series (CWS) appearances in the past three years. Kentucky, which has qualified for the NCAA Tournament only eight times in program history, is currently the No. 1 team in the country. Ole Miss and Mississippi State have each won a national title; 9 SEC teams have appeared in the CWS since 2019, and the Gamecocks are off that list. Clemson is a Top 5 team that's likely about to host their second straight regional under second-year head coach Erik Bakich. 

Including the 2018 season, South Carolina has only hosted a regional as a national seed once under Mark Kingston (they were a No. 2 seed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament). Two weeks ago, the Gamecocks were in prime position to host a regional in back-to-back years for the first time since the 2013 & 2014 seasons, but once find themselves limping toward the finish line of the regular season. Last year, a rash of injuries was a valid reason South Carolina snuck in as only the No. 15 overall seed despite their hot start. This year, having available bodies hasn't been an issue, but performance has. Through 27 SEC games, the Gamecocks rank in the top 3 in the conference in only three statistical categories: walks drawn (hitting), double plays (pitching), and appearances (pitching).

From a 20,000-foot view, the rest of the SEC has gotten much more challenging over the past decade, and Clemson once again has a strong presence on the national scene, all while South Carolina, at the minimum, appears to be stuck in neutral. There seems to be little question that change is needed after the season, with the real question being how much is needed.

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