Game 33 - Winthrop at South Carolina

March 17 at Carolina Stadium in Columbia, SC
SEC Network

It was a big day for Winthrop and it has already been a big season so far for the Eagles against their in-state rivals. After Tuesday's 7-5 win in 11 innings, Winthrop has its first victory over USC since 1996 and victories over the Gamecocks and Clemson in the same season for the first time.

And for the first time at 300 Game Season, we'll play Happys & Sads.

Happys

1. Babe Thomas and Roger Gonzalez, Winthrop No. 2 and No. 5 hitters. Each delivered a two-run single in a four-run top of the 11th.

2. Travis Shelley, Winthrop reliever. The senior right-hander allowed an inherited runner to score, which was the tying run in the bottom of the sixth on Connor Bright's sacrifice fly, but then allowed just two hits in four innings and kept the Gamecocks off the scoreboard until Winthrop could rally.

3. Matthew Vogel and Vince Fiori, USC relievers.  The pair combined for seven strike outs in four innings of two-hit relief.

Sads

1. Cody Mincey, South Carolina reliever. The Gamecocks recorded two outs while Mincey was in the game, but neither had anything to do with Mincey (caught stealing to end the 10th, sacrifice bunt in 11th). He threw 26 pitches, none of which were very good, and allowed four earned runs in 2/3 of an inning.

2. The Winthrop infield, which made three errors that led to three unearned runs against starter Josh Strong. Strong, a southpaw, deserved better, but instead settled for 5 1/3 innings of four-hit ball and a no-decision.

3. SEC Network color commentator Trey Dyson said something about USC outfielder Elliott Caldwell that needs its own wing in the Hall of Fame of everything ever said during a baseball game.

"I was talking to a guy who knows Elliott and he said when (Caldwell) rolls out of bed in the morning and he wakes up, he just starts hitting. And he's done that his whole life."

A few great things about this quote.

1. 'A guy who knows Elliott'. A GUY.
2. Caldwell rolls out of his bed, I'm assuming onto the floor, then wakes up. That's fantastic.
3. Caldwell has woken up and immediately started hitting for the entirety of his life. I'd like to think that infant Caldwell did a lot more staring, and four-year old Caldwell did a lot more pinching.

Some other Baseball Phrases from Scott and Dyson:

"Hit the reset button"
"Set the tone"
"Manafactured a run, all by his lonesome"
"Painting the corners"
"He's having a whale of a senior season"