On a bleak Tuesday morning in Hoover, Alabama, South Carolina, and Georgia met in the first round of the 2023 SEC Baseball Tournament. As expected, South Carolina was too much for the struggling Georgia Bulldogs on Tuesday.

South Carolina jumped on Georgia in the second inning behind a pair of base hits that would score two Gamecock baserunners. In the 4th inning, South Carolina would add three insurance runs to make it 5-0 South Carolina heading to the 5th inning. Georgia loaded the bases with two outs in the top half of the 7th but, unable to plate the runs, Georgia left the 7th inning without grounds for a comeback. South Carolina would add three more runs in the bottom half of the 7th inning off the bat of Evan Stone after he ripped a base hit to left field scoring, Gavin Casas and Talmadge LeCroy to make it 8-0 South Carolina in the bottom half of the 8th inning. South Carolina would add a run in the bottom half of the 9th inning to make it 9-0 Gamecocks.

Georiga lacked offensive firepower on Tuesday morning, causing the Bulldogs to fall into a hole they could not return from.

Credit the South Carolina pitching staff, who put together an outing worthy of praise. James Hicks got the starting role for the Gamecocks on Tuesday as he went six full innings of good baseball. Hicks finished the day by striking out six Georgia batters, giving up four hits on zero runs. Hicks was replaced in 7th by Cade Austin, who came in and shut down Georgia much like James Hicks.

South Carolina took advantage of Georgia’s lack of talent and abilities and cruised to an easy win. With the win over Georgia on Tuesday, the Gamecocks advance to take on LSU in the second round of the 2023 SEC Baseball Tournament. South Carolina and LSU met earlier in the season and split the series. Weather issues kept LSU and South Carolina from finishing game three in early April.

South Carolina and LSU will get underway in the first game on Wednesday morning, with a tentative first pitch slated for 9:30.