Entering the bottom of the ninth of game three, NKU held a 3-1 lead over the Gamecocks after a string of hits by graduate student Ethan Thomas and junior Landon Springmeyer plated a pair in the sixth.
An RBI groundout by Luke Yuhasz with runners at first and second cut the lead to one. A walk and back-to-back wild pitches then put the tying and winning runs in scoring position.
Another walk to Dawson Harman loaded the bases, bringing KJ Scobey to the plate with a chance to steal game three and complete the sweep for South Carolina.
With graduate student Kyle Cortner struggling on the mound for the Norse and tension rising, head coach Dizzy Peyton regrouped and summoned Gabe Stout out of the bullpen.
Punching out Scobey with the bases loaded, sealing a 3-2 win in game three for NKU.
The Norse kicked off its season on the road with a good early-season test against South Carolina. Although they finished 6-24 in conference play a year ago, going on the road in the Southeastern Conference is a tall task.
Game One
In game one, the Gamecocks got the scoring started with home runs by Patrick Evans and Dawson Harman that plated three.
South Carolina added on after RBI hits in the sixth and eighth innings by Talmadge Lecroy, extending their lead to five.
NKU got on the board in the ninth with two sacrifice flies that proved to be nothing but a confidence booster, as they fell 5-2 in game one of a Friday doubleheader.
Junior Evan Fry picked up the loss, allowing two runs on four hits in 4.2 innings of work. Neither team went deep into their bullpen, saving their arms for game two.
Game Two
In game two, NKU scored early on a wild pitch that allowed Springmeyer to advance to third and later score on an RBI groundout by Jake Altman to extend their early lead to two.
Their lead was quickly cut in half, as the Gamecocks manufactured a run off a Lecroy walk and a Beau Hollins single that opened the door for a Gavin Braland suicide squeeze.
NKU maintained their lead off the back of graduate student EJ Miramontes, who pitched 3.2 innings of scoreless baseball after the second inning, limiting South Carolina to just two hits.
After Miramontes was taken out, the efficiency on the mound did not continue for the Norse, allowing four runs on four hits in 2.2 innings of work.
Though NKU briefly took the lead after a three-spot in the eighth, the Gamecocks tied it in their half of the eighth and won it in the ninth, after a walk-off home run by KJ Scobey cleared the wall in deep left-center field.
Lange Tannis picked up the loss, giving up the game-winning home run just three pitches into his appearance, forcing the Norse into a must-win game three.
Game Three
In game three, NKU out-hit South Carolina for the first time in the series, with seven different players recording hits.
The Norse pitching staff also rose to the occasion, holding the Gamecocks, who totaled 19 hits in the first two games, to just five in game three.
With the game tied 1-1 in the fifth inning, Thomas and Springmeyer delivered RBI hits to break the deadlock and give NKU a two-run lead.
South Carolina threatened in the ninth by loading the bases, but only managed to scrape across one run in the frame, sealing the Norse series-ending win.
Graduate student Cody Little earned the win, while Stout recorded the save in a pitching-heavy effort that saw two of the four pitchers throw for less than a full inning of work.
NKU leaves Columbia with a 1–2 overall record and will look ahead to another road matchup at Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday, Feb. 17.