Today, Jack Mahoney pitches in a college baseball game for the first time in 656 days, a moment two years in the making.
From hot pink duct tape to being a three-sport star to his dog, Zepp. This is Jack Mahoney:
I know fans are still pretty upset about how this season shook out, but this is incredible raw emotion from Andrew Eyster minutes after his college career ended.
On what South Carolina means to him:
Shane Beamer said Nyck Harbor ran over after his TD catch and thanked Beamer for the opportunity to come to South Carolina.
Beamer, laughing: "Thank you for coming here."
Something cool: Jerri Spurrier came to Gamecock Walk and stood by the bus and hugged almost every player she knew.
Had a very long talk with Marcus Lattimore.
David Pollack on College GameDay: "If you're not watching South Carolina, you're missing one of the best defensive tackles in the country...Javon Kinlaw is an absolute star."
Starting next week I’m joining the communications team at
@uofsc
. I grew up around the university, graduated from it and am beyond thrilled to come home.
Let’s get to work.
Also what a week for South Carolina.
Football: win over Auburn
Women's soccer: advances to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Women's basketball: wins over Clemson, Buffalo
Men's basketball: wins over WKU, UAB
Swim and dive: Michael Laitarovsky sets a new school record.
Sterling Lucas came to South Carolina with no real recruiting experience. He’s since landed Desmond Umeozulu, helped land Nyck Harbor and was the lead recruiter for Dylan Stewart.
That’s pretty damn good.
Some news: this is my last week at
@GamecockCentral
.
Saturday will be my last game covering South Carolina, the final game of a nearly nine-year stint in sports media. My time with GamecockCentral has been nothing short of amazing but I'm incredibly excited for the next chapter.
South Carolina running a video Carey Rich, Alex English, A'ja Wilson, Stephon Gilmore, Justin McKie, PJ Dozier.
Every one ended it with "I'm from South Carolina and I'm a Gamecock."
Wonder why that's getting shown today.
#Gamecocks
point guard signee Zach Davis had his signing ceremony this morning. Top 150 player nationally in 2022.
Seems pretty pumped about getting to South Carolina. Has already been on the phone with new head coach Lamont Paris.
Shane Beamer said South Carolina has gotten some good news in recruiting and the Gamecocks might get "a lot more good news over the next 24 hours as well."
Dakereon Joyner on if he'll dress warm for Saturday's cold weather game against Kentucky:
"Sir, I'm from Charleston, South Carolina. I'm gonna have my thermal on."
I know it’s hard to see but if you look really close it has numbers under the big letters. Those number things are reserved for when the university was founded, which is also 49 years before California became a state.
If you stop folks on the street, show them this photo, and ask what school this is, in 49 states the answer is Southern Cal 🤷🏻♂️.
New logo from the University of South Carolina.
I knew the South Carolina-Tennessee series had been close dating back to 2005 (Spurrier's arrival). But these stats really show it.
Series record (9-9, each team 6-3 @ home)
South Carolina points: 478 (26.6/game)
Tennessee points: 476 (26.4/game)
Double-digit wins: SC, 4; UT, 3.
Spencer Rattler's last three home games (wins over Tennessee, Furman, Miss. State): 73-for-84 (86.9 percent), 1,071 yards (12.3 yards/attempt), 12 TD, 0 INT.
Not a football scientist, but is getting a four-star prospect, the No. 40 player in the country and the top-ranked player at his position a good thing?
Vanderbilt transfer Parker Noland tells me he's committed to South Carolina. Versatile infielder who's been a multi-year starter in the SEC. Hit .277 in 61 games this year with an .822 OPS.
No Noah Hall. No Will McGillis. No Talmadge LeCroy. No Gavin Casas in game two. And South Carolina still takes the series over No. 3 Florida with a win Friday night.
Florida went 3-for-20 with runners on base.
If you told
#Gamecocks
fans coming off a 2-8 year with six straight losses they'd go to a bowl game and have wins over Florida and Auburn they would hit the "DEAL" button so darn fast.
In the *literal* same interview that’s circulating this week, Tonka Hemingway said he wants to keep playing Georgia every year with the new SEC schedule.
But that doesn’t get the same amount of traction 🤷🏼♂️
Pete Lembo getting very emotional about his new contract extension. Said he's incredible grateful and it's been a great two years at South Carolina.
Said he and his family want to be here.
Shane Beamer: very not happy with the officiating, especially in the first half.
Said he has to be better and not cost his team 15 yards on that unsportsmanlike but didn't believe he should have been flagged. Said there were times he felt the officials made it about them.
Walked out of the press box at Founders Park for the last time this season, capping my fifth full year on the beat.
57 games
519 innings
8,363 pitches by USC players
Five different cities
Thanks to everyone who clicked a link and engaged on here. Means more than you'll know.
Saturday: MBB comes back from double-digits down to beat LSU.
Sunday: WBB clinches at least a share of the SEC Title.
Sunday: Baseball scores six runs in the ninth and then wins it in extras.
Phew.
Cole Messina just hit one over the monster and bat flipped the hell out of it. He'd been getting booed by Clemson fans all weekend and enjoyed that trot.
Nice moment for an in-state kid who grew up wanting to play in this rivalry.
Over the last 72 hours South Carolina's landed a top 100 linebacker in Penn State and Maryland's backyard then went into Mississippi and convinced a a MSU baseball commit to come play two sports at South Carolina. Both at an major position of need.
“I feel like I can lift the state up. A’ja Wilson did it with the girls. Jadeveon Clowney did it with football. I feel like I could, if I was to go there, do it for men’s basketball.”
Justin Smoak currently has the record for HR by a South Carolina freshman at 17 bombs.
Ethan Petry is already at 16 and there are six weeks left in the season.
South Carolina defensive coordinator Clayton White is a nominee this year for the Broyles Award, given annually to college football’s top assistant coach.
Shane Beamer mentioned last week when there were portal defections a recruit texted him saying he wants guys at South Carolina who would die for the university.
Beamer joked that ~might~ be a little extreme but he loves the guys who want to come and play at South Carolina.
James Reese grew up wanting to play for South Carolina and finally got his chance this year.
That has to be one of the coolest moments for him in his life.
Ethan Petry in 27 at-bats vs. LSU/Vandy/Florida: .407/.514/1.148, 6 HR, 21 RBI, 8 R, 5 BB, 8 K
Matthew Becker's last five outings (17 IP): 2.12 ERA, 0.941 WHIP, 25 K, 6 BB, teams are hitting .169/.269/.305 against him.
Photo cred: Chris Gillespie
Eli Jerzembeck on the opportunity ahead with No. 1 LSU coming to Founders Park Thursday:
“Of course, it’s a great opportunity. I mean, they’re facing South Carolina. It’s not us facing LSU. They’re coming in here and facing us. I’m ready for it and it’s going to be a fun ride.”