“Goatee Messina is untouchable”: No. 10 South Carolina’s Ethan Petry gasses up teammate for monster performance vs. No. 2 Arkansas in SEC Tournament 

Cole Messina was the hero for the South Carolina Gamecocks as they pipped the No. 2 Arkansas Razorbacks, 6-5 in a stunning upset in the SEC Tournament. The junior catcher's game-winning home run sent his teammates in raptures, with first baseman Ethan Petry taking to cheerleading on social media.

The sophomore infielder, one of the Gamecocks' top hitters this season, took to Instagram to share a story praising Messina:

"GOATEE MESSINA IS UNTOUCHABLE," Petry said.

Heading into the top of the ninth inning, the Gamecocks and Razorbacks were neck-to-neck, tied at 4-4. Messina then crushed an 84mph pitch off Razorbacks' Gabe Gaeckle high over center field to score a critical home run.

This was his second home run of the game and it could not have come at a more opportune time for the Gamecocks. His two-run home run gave them a 6-4 lead, which the Razorbacks could only halve in the bottom of the ninth, which meant the No. 10 Gamecocks moved to the winner's bracket in the tournament.

Messina also drove in five runs and got support from Parker Noland and starting pitcher Eli Jones, who scored three strikeouts and gave up just one run in 3.1 innings.

Cole Messina leads South Carolina baseball batting stats this year

The junior catcher has easily been one of the Gamecocks' best hitters this season. Before the game, his exploits were rewarded as he became a semifinalist for the Buster Posey Award.

Messina has scored 17 home runs and drove in 56 RBIs with a batting average of .320 this season. Only Petry has more home runs for the Gamecocks at 21, but with a lower batting average of .306.

Cole Messina celebrates a hard-fought victory over the Arkansas Razorbacks with his South Carolina Gamecocks teammates.

Their victory over the Razorbacks means they will now take on the LSU Tigers in the winner's bracket of the SEC Tournament on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. Like the Gamecocks, the Tigers pulled off a major upset by blanking the No. 3 Kentucky Wildcats, 11-0.

Both teams are carrying good momentum in the SEC Tournament so far and will hope to advance to the next round and build toward their postseason plans.