Gamecocks one loss away from elimination

It had to end sometime. All streaks do.

The South Carolina Gamecocks arrived at TD Ameritrade Park for their second game of this year’s College World Series having won an astonishing 22 NCAA tournament games in a row going back to 2010, a record that led Coach Ray Tanner’s group to two consecutive CWS titles. The next longest tournament winning streak belonged to Texas with 15.

But no matter what poets and philosophers believe familiarity breeds – contempt, concept, complacency – one thing is certain: familiarity breeds familiarity. And when the first two games of the series are against teams from within your own conference, teams you have seen a lot during the season and who have also seen you, streaks don’t mean much.

Another SEC team, Arkansas, snapped it, beating the Gamecocks 2-1 on a sweltering night in Omaha. It was the fourth time the Hogs and Cocks had played this year, so the bloom was had been off that rose since early May. No surprises; no intimidation; no swagger: just a couple of conference rivals splitting their four-games together 2-2.

The only down downside for South Carolina was where and when the last loss took place. It’s one thing to drop a game to a conference rival on May 5; it’s quite another to lose in late June with a national title on the line.

Florida found that out the hard way. The No.1-ranked college team for most of the regular season, the Gators lost their first game of the CWS to the Gamecocks. Ranking and seeding didn’t matter. It was fifth meeting between the two teams. They all knew each other by name, and could have swapped spring break stories between innings.

The Gators have a long break ahead of them now. An upset loss to Kent State on Monday afternoon sent them back to Gainesville.

The Hogs and Gamecocks both played exceptional defense. Either team could have won. But what else would you expect from teams that know each other so well?

South Carolina starting pitcher Colby Holmes got off to a shaky start, giving up a bullet through the infield to the first man he faced. The Hogs manufactured a run in the first inning on two hits. Holmes gave up another run and a total of four hits in 3 2/3 innings. Even the outs were hard-hit balls, so Tanner made a change to reliever Tyler Webb.

After that the game nestled into a pitcher’s duel. Both Webb and Hogs’ starter Ryan Stanek had great nights. Neither was perfect, but Webb gave up only two hits and one walk in 5 1/3 innings of work, while Stanek, who threw one fastball after another in the 94- to 98-mph range, gave up only 1 run on three hits and three walks.

Sophomore Barrett Astin finished the night for the Hogs, throwing three near-flawless innings, giving up only one hit and rarely having a ball leave the infield.

The Gamecocks don’t go home, even though the loser bracket presents a much tougher road than Arkansas now faces. One more loss and South Carolina’s dream of a three-peat would come to an abrupt end.

The good news is they don’t have to face another SEC rival. The next opponent, Kent State, won’t be nearly as familiar. But get by the Flashes and Arkansas will be waiting again with a spot in the championship series on the line.