The Charlotte 49ers (2-2) lost a nail-biter to No.4-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks (3-1) Tuesday night in Columbia, South Carolina, 4-5, having the tying run just 90 feet away at the conclusion of the game, with the winning run sitting on first.
“We did a lot of good things over the course of the game,” head coach Loren Hibbs said after the game. “When you play the caliber of this team on the road, with the kind of arms they run out there, the margin of error is pretty thin.”
Trailing 5-3 heading into the ninth inning, Charlotte leaned on pinch-hitter and freshman Zack Smith to start the inning, sending the first pitch from closer Tyler Johnson into right field.