Future Gamecocks hope to help River Bluff baseball to deep postseason run
Thomas Powell didn’t see himself as much of a pitcher or power hitter before the season began.
But the River Bluff High School senior has become both this season for the Gators.
Powell (5-1) picked up his fifth win of the season Tuesday in the playoff opener against Stratford. The Gators face Sumter in the winner’s bracket game of the Class 5A district playoffs on Thursday.
The South Carolina signee has an ERA of 1.12 on the season and has been a key component for the Gators’ pitching staff.
“We had a couple injuries take place. So I did what I was asked to do and stepped up, tried to do the best I could and ended up being pretty good,” Powell said. “My biggest goal is to throw strikes. We have the best defense in the state behind me. We are so deep all over the place. I just pitch to contact and let the boys play.”
River Bluff coach Mark Bonnette said Powell was probably between Nos. 4 and 6 on the Gators’ pitching staff coming into the season. But with a couple of preseason injuries to pitchers and with ace Beau Hollins likely not to pitch for the rest of the season, Powell moved right into the heart of the Gators’ rotation.
“Thomas has been huge on the mound for us. If you would have told me at the beginning of the year that he would pitch as much as he has, I would never have thought that would happen,” Bonnette said. “But he has done a great job stepping up, and a lot of guys have stepped up in Beau’s absence. We always thought he would be a guy who might pitch for us, but his command has gotten so much better and confidence.
“The biggest thing is Thomas telling me he wants the ball and wants to pitch.”
Powell also has had a big year at the plate, hitting .363 with nine homers and 36 RBIs. The nine homers are a career-high for the senior. He had three in the final week of the regular season in a three-game series against Chapin.
“I always thought of myself as a base-hit line-drive hitter, but a couple bombs here and there have been pretty good,” Powell said.
Powell’s nine homers usually would lead most teams, but he trails Hollins, the South Carolina commit who leads the state with 13 home runs. The junior has been limited on the mound because of an arm issue, but it hasn’t hurt him at the plate.
Hollins, the son of former Gamecock and major-leaguer Dave Hollins, worked hard with his dad and brother on becoming a better switch hitter in the offseason. But he is just hitting right-handed now.
Hollins is hitting .432 with 13 homers and 32 RBIs, which is one behind teammate Walker Mitchell’s 33 RBIs. He hit 20 homers to finish second to Summerville’s PJ Morlando (46) in the HR Derby of the Oterra Classic preseason tournament.
“I’m a first baseman, a corner guy, so it is what I have to do. I am going to try and hit line drives, but homers will do,” Hollins said. “My approach is to stay middle and get base hits, and when I get my pitch don’t miss it.”
Hollins is projected to picked in next year’s Major League Baseball Draft but says he isn’t worried about that yet, focusing on this season and taking a game-by-game approach.
Hollins and Powell are part of a talented River Bluff lineup that features six college signees or commits, including Mitchell (Coastal Carolina), Weston Grant (Francis Marion), Wyatt McPherson (USC Aiken), Matthew Garris (CIU) and Andrew Vaughan (USC Union).
The Gators finished second behind Lexington in Region 4-5A and were ranked No. 1 in the latest S.C. Baseball Coaches poll on April 17. River Bluff is looking for the school’s third trip to the state championship series.
After Friday’s win over Chapin, Bonnette told his players about embracing the postseason, calling it the “funnest time of the year.” That’s what Powell and the rest of the Gators hope to do.
“I just came into the year and wanted to make a run at state with the boys. So far, it is shaking out that way we are going to make a pretty good run,” Powell said.
In-state South Carolina Baseball recruits
A look at the list of South Carolina baseball signees or commits in the Palmetto State and how they are doing this season. Stats if available are through May 3.
Class of 2023
Edward Copper, P-27:
Reece Marcum, Lexington: Marcum is 5-2 with a 2.96 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 28 innings.
Grant Loggins, AC Flora: Loggins is 4-0 with a 1.16 ERA and 80 strikeouts, 2 walks in 36 innings.
Xavier Pelzer, Legion Collegiate:
Thomas Powell, River Bluff: The outfielder/pitcher is hitting . 363 with 9 HRs and 36 RBI. He is 5-1 on the mound with a 1.12 ERA
2024
Elijah Grant, Westside: Grant is hitting .429 with 5 HRs, 20 RBIs, 3 triples and 18 stolen bases.
Beau Hollins, River Bluff: Hollins is hitting .434 with 13 HRs and 32 RBI. On the mound, he is 4-0 with a 1.34 ERA in 15 innings pitched.
Brady Jones, P-27:
Tyler June, P-27:
Carson Messina, Summerville: Messina is 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA with 69 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings pitched. At the plate, he is hitting .293 with 7 HRs, 19 RBI and 21 runs scored.
Cade Pilgrim, Clover: Pilgrim is 8-1 with a 1.01 ERA with 80 strikeouts and opponents are hitting .163 against him.
Zach Russell, West Ashley:
Ethan Wagner, P-27:
2025
Brandon Cromer, Lexington: Cromer is hitting .312 with 3 HRs, 20 RBI and 10 stolen bases. On the mound, he is 2-0 with a 0.63 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 11 innings pitched.
Daniel Parker, P-27:
Teddy Garner, JL Mann
2026
Parker McGee, Lancaster: McGee is hitting .313 with 10 RBI and 13 runs scored.
Jackson Robinson, TL Hanna:
