Will McGillis delivered South Carolina’s first home run of the 2023 season early in Friday’s season opener. It also goes down as the first of McGillis’ Gamecock career in his first at-bat.

A transfer infielder out of Southern Miss, McGillis stepped to the plate with the bases clear in the bottom of the second inning. He got a good pitch out over the heart of the plate and drilled it, sending an opposite-field blast over the right-field fence.

McGillis’ home run made it 2-1, South Carolina. UMass Lowell eventually tied things in the top of the third inning, but the Gamecocks have since busted things open with a 9-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth.

McGillis joined South Carolina after a strong career at Southern Miss where he notched 30 career home runs and a .461 slugging percentage. He produced 16 home runs for the Golden Eagle in the 2022 season.

We’ll see how the rest of the season unfolds, but McGillis making his presence felt early with the Gamecocks.