Gamecocks score double digits, trot past Rams
When Rhode Island coach Jim Foster was forced to make a pitching change just 17 minutes after the game started, it looked like the beginning of a long night for the Rams.
It was just that.
All nine members of South Carolina’s starting lineup had at least a hit as the No. 4 Gamecocks cruised past URI 17-8 Wednesday, making the offensive woes of last week seem like a thing of the past.
“We’ve had better at-bats and gotten in better position to win games [of late],” USC coach Ray Tanner said. “It was important for us to win this week. We needed to win at home.”
The offensive outburst came a day after USC’s 24-4 win over College of Charleston. The 41 combined runs are the most for USC in two consecutive games since it scored 41 runs total against Charleston Southern in 2004.
A six-run first inning catalyzed the USC scoring. Adam Matthews walked to lead off the inning and came home a batter later on a Peter Mooney double. Mooney then scored moments later on a two-run home run by Jackie Bradley Jr.
The long ball was Bradley’s sixth of the season and his 200th career hit at USC.
After walks to Christian Walker and Adrian Morales followed Bradley’s home run, Foster lifted starter Brian Bodjiak, who was unable to record an out. Reliever Anthony Pisani was able to escape the inning by striking out the side, but only after Robert Beary capped off the scoring with an RBI single, one of his career-high four RBIs.
“When he swings the bat, good things can happen,” said Tanner of Beary, who has struggled at times this season. “He’s aggressive in the zone. That’s good to see.”
The Gamecocks (16-4) went on to add four runs in the second, three in the third, two in the fifth and two in the sixth against the Rams (9-8). USC had 19 hits, nine of which were for extra bases, along with nine walks against seven URI pitchers.
Along with Bradley, Beary and Morales also had home runs. Beary hit a two-run home run in the third while Morales had a solo shot in the fifth.
“These last two games, the bats have really come alive,” Bradley said.
Jose Mata got the win in relief of Adam Westmoreland for USC, going four innings and allowing one run on two hits to improve to 2-0. Bodjiak took the loss for Rhode Island, falling to 2-1.
“I didn’t know how long I was going to be out there,” Mata said. “I just tried to stay ahead as much as possible and eat as many innings as possible.”
Westmoreland struggled, leaving the game after allowing the first four Ram batters to reach base in the second inning. Westmoreland allowed three runs, two of which were earned, on three runs and two walks and struck out one.
The Gamecocks now will head to Gainesville this weekend to face top-ranked Florida (20-2) in a much-anticipated SEC series.
After struggling at the plate for most of the first SEC series, USC is going south with some swagger.
“Our guys are starting to come through,” Beary said. “It’s positive for us. We’re going to go in with a little more confidence.”