Jackson's Home Run Walks Off No. 4 Kentucky
COLUMBIA – After hitting three solo home runs in the bottom of the ninth, the University of South Carolina baseball team walked off No. 4 Kentucky as Blake Jackson belted a two-run home run in a 6-5, 10-inning win on Friday night (April 26) at Founders Park.
The Gamecocks trailed 4-1 going to the bottom of the ninth but Jackson hit his first home run of the day, a solo shot to the opposite field. Dalton Reeves then pulled a home run to right to make it a one-score game. Gavin Casas tied the contest at four with a home run to right.
Kentucky took a 5-4 lead in the top of the 10th. Kennedy Jones led off the inning with a walk and the Wildcats went to the bullpen. Jackson hit a 1-0 pitch that got just over the wall in left for Carolina’s first walk-off home run since 2019.
Kentucky scored a run in the top of the third but Carolina answered as Jones’ RBI single to left scored Austin Brinling. The score remained at 1-1 thanks to a pair of College of Charleston transfers. Ty Good pitched five innings of relief, striking out seven and allowing just two hits and two runs with a walk. Kentucky’s Trey Pooser struck out 11 and gave up four hits and a run in seven innings. The Wildcats put up three runs in the top of the ninth, thanks to a pair of sacrifice bunts and a Ryan Nicholson two-run single.
Jackson went 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. Chris Veach earned the win on the mound with a strikeout in an inning of work. Roman Kimball started the game for the Gamecocks, striking out four and allowing two hits and a run with two walks in three innings.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Jackson hit Carolina’s first walk-off home run since Jacob Olson did against NC State on April 2, 2019.
- It was Carolina’s first walk-off win of the season.
- Casas now has two pinch-hit home runs this year.
- Jackson had Carolina’s first two-home run game since Dalton Reeves vs. Presbyterian on March 26.
UP NEXT
Carolina and Kentucky will continue the three-game series on Saturday, April 27 at 6 p.m. The game will be televised on SEC Network.
