Homer-happy South Carolina eliminates Mizzou at SEC Baseball Tournament

For the third straight day at the SEC Baseball Tournament from Hoover (Ala.) Metropolitan Stadium, Missouri’s starting pitcher coughed up at least six runs. On Thursday it was South Carolina that clubbed its way to a 10-2 victory over the Tigers.

The 11th-seeded Gamecocks, 34-24, teed off for four home runs, including two by freshman Carlos Cortes, in the elimination game.

With the loss, the 10th-seeded Tigers, 36-23, were eliminated from the tourney and probably from contention for an NCAA regional berth.

Reigning national player of the week Cole Barlett — a junior right-hander, who tossed a one-hit shutout last weekend at Tennessee — allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings.

Junior Alex Destino started the carnage with a thundering solo home run to right during a two-run second inning and junior Jonah Bride added another solo blast in the fourth inning.

Mizzou nearly tied the game when junior Alex Samples swatted an RBI double off the top of the wall in the bottom of the fourth, but he was one of two runners South Carolina junior right-hander Will Crowe stranded in scoring position to preserve a 3-1 lead.

Cortes, who leads the Gamecocks with 12 home runs, broke the game open with a three-run homer in the fifth inning and added another towering three-run shot during a four-run sixth inning as the Gamecocks pulled away.

Junior Nelson Mompierre clubbed a final-inning, pinch-hit home run for the second straight game.

Bartlett’s struggled continued a pattern for the Tigers.

Junior ace Tanner Houck gave up seven runs (six earned) in a season-low 4 1/3 innings Tuesday, but Mizzou knocked off Texas A&M 12-7.

Freshman southpaw T.J. Sikkema was tagged for six runs (five earned) in 4 1/3 innings Wednesday during a 10-3 loss against LSU.

Crowe earned the win after striking out nine, while scattering four hits and three walks in six innings.