Sophomore Joey Pankake suffers injury, doubtful to play Tuesday
South Carolina’s LB Dantzler owned the Gamecocks’ weekend series with Albany.
The senior first baseman hit two three-run home runs, drove in 10 RBI and scored six runs over the three games.
Dantzler played a big part in USC’s three-game sweep over the Great Danes.
After Friday’s game was rained out, USC was forced to play one game Saturday and a doubleheader Sunday. The Gamecocks defeated Great Danes 8-3 on Friday and outscored Albany 20-5 in the doubleheader to finish the sweep.
With the Gamecocks leading 5-2 against Albany on Saturday, Dantzler drilled one of his three-run homers to right field to break open the game.
He also made sure Sunday’s games were not close. In the first game, a 14-1 rout, the senior hit his second three-run homer and an RBI single. In the second, Dantzler went 3-4 with an RBI, two doubles and two runs in a 6-4 win.
The margins of victory marked a stark contrast to last weekend’s three one-run games against Liberty, and Dantzler enjoyed the breathing room.
“That is always nice,” Dantzler said. “In my two years that I have been here, we have played a lot of close games, so anytime you win by more than two or three, it feels good. Saves you from some gray hair.”
So far this season, the Florida native is hitting .545 with three homers and 13 RBI. After Friday’s game, Dantzler attributed some of his success to his pregame meal.
“We had some mac and cheese and mashed potatoes and gravy and whatnot, so I knew it was going to be a good day then,” he joked.
The Gamecocks also had their most productive inning in almost three years Sunday against the Great Danes in the first game of the twin bill.
Trailing 1-0 going into the bottom of the fifth, USC sent 14 batters to the plate in a nine-run, eight-hit, 33-minute-long half-inning. It was the most runs USC had scored in an inning since March 9, 2010, against Valparaiso.
Senior Chase Vergason got things started with a leadoff solo home run to right field that tied the game 1-1. Vergason finished the first game with three hits, three RBI and two runs.
The Gamecocks also had a big inning Saturday when they sent nine men to the plate in the second. Three RBI singles by junior Graham Saiko, sophomore Joey Pankake and Dantzler gave USC a 4-0 lead it would not relinquish. Saiko reached base in all five plate appearances, recording three walks and two singles in the leadoff spot.
“I’m slowly getting used to hitting leadoff,” Saiko said. “But like I said, I’m just up there trying to help the team out.”
Coach Chad Holbrook was pleased with the offensive and defensive efforts of his team. The Gamecocks committed one error in the three games this weekend after making eight errors against Liberty last weekend.
“Our kids played well for the most part,” Holbrook said. “It was a very clean game defensively and offensively. In Game 1 (Saturday), we kind of put it all together there and played very well.”
Injury note: Sophomore shortstop Joey Pankake left the second game Sunday after the first inning due to a “hip flexor strain,” Holbrook said.
The coach added that he would be “shocked” if Pankake played in Tuesday’s game against Furman.