Main Story

South Carolina’s 2010 baseball team turned a rocky start into the program’s first national championship, winning six straight games after opening the College World Series with a loss. Whit Merrifield’s walk-off RBI single in the 11th inning against UCLA sealed the title. The 2010 and 2011 teams will be inducted together into South Carolina’s 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame class.

By the Numbers
  • 6 consecutive wins to claim the championship after losing the CWS opener.
  • 11th inning: Merrifield’s hit drove in Scott Wingo for the 2-1 title-clinching win.
  • 7-1: South Carolina’s score in the first championship-series game against UCLA.
  • 61 years: Rosenblatt Stadium’s tenure as the College World Series home, ending with the 2010 final.
Yes, But

The Gamecocks weren’t an obvious title favorite: they struggled early, lost their first CWS game and faced a UCLA team viewed as more star-studded. Their championship came through contributions across the roster, timely plays and a late-season surge—not a handful of standout names alone.

Bottom Line

South Carolina’s first baseball title was a team achievement built on resilience and clutch execution—qualities the Hall of Fame honor recognizes across the 2010 and 2011 squads.