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The South Carolina baseball team got a Top 10 highlight from centerfielder Austin Brinling on Sunday that helped spark a comeback effort in a massive SEC matchup.
The Gamecocks trailed 3-1 to Missouri early in Sunday’s rubber match, and it appeared the Tigers were ready to blow the doors wide open. With the bases loaded and one out, Jackson Lovich stepped to the dish.
He gave an 0-1 delivery from South Carolina reliever Garrett Gainey a ride, sending it deep to left-centerfield as he looked to widen that Mizzou lead.
Brinling gave his best Lee Corso impression, saying, “Not so fast, my friend,” before climbing the wall to pull the bomb back.
Austin Brinling with a #SCTop10 catch to save a home run!
🖥️ SECN+#Gamecocks | #ForeverToThee pic.twitter.com/bwTkD2GXNe
— Gamecock Baseball (@GamecockBasebll) May 5, 2024
From 7-1 to out of the inning in an instance! Even teammates couldn’t believe the catch, with Gainey’s reaction being the best of the bunch.
While a run did score to give Lovich a sac fly, the snag certainly limited the damage. The Gamecocks retired the side one batter later.
While it’s hard to call a play from the second inning of the contest “game saving,” it might’ve been in this particular matchup.
The optics, alone, of being down three runs compared to six runs is massive, especially considering the Tigers jumped out to a 7-0 lead the game prior to cruise to an easy victory.
Needing a win to take the series, the play was huge, and the broadcast team agreed.
“South Carolina fans should be standing up at home,” a crew member said. “This might’ve saved the game; it might’ve saved the series for South Carolina.”
The grand slam robbery would help them do just that!
The Gamecocks’ bats finally got going in the seventh inning as they tied the game with an Ethan Petry home run.
WE ARE TIED
🖥️ SECN+#Gamecocks | #ForeverToThee pic.twitter.com/OzhF9OkDwe
— Gamecock Baseball (@GamecockBasebll) May 5, 2024
South Carolina hung crooked numbers on the Tigers in the eighth and ninth innings to escape CoMo with a 9-4 series clinching win.
Their hopes of hosting a regional in the NCAA Tournament are still alive, and they have Austin Brinling to thank!