South Carolina baseball (14-16, 1-8 SEC) rode a six-run fifth inning to beat Wofford (19-10, 3-0 SOCON) 11-1 in seven innings at Founders Park Tuesday night.
“Super proud of our team,” South Carolina interim coach Monte Lee said. “We pitched well, we swung the bats well, and it was a great night for us.”
The Gamecocks opted for a bullpen game, with junior pitcher Alex Valentin making his first start of the season. Senior John Gray took the mound for the Terriers, making his third start of the year.
South Carolina opened the scoring in the first inning, with a single from fifth-year catcher Talmadge LeCroy driving in junior center fielder Tyler Bak, a Wofford transfer. A double from senior right fielder Luke Yuhasz then gave the Gamecocks a 2-0 lead.
South Carolina loaded the bases in the second inning, with singles from junior infielder Patrick Evans and Bak and a walk from senior designated hitter Jake Randolph, all with two outs, knocking Gray out of the ballgame. Senior Branton Little then induced a flyout from LeCroy to keep the Gamecocks scoreless in the frame.
Freshman Riley Goodman pitched the top of the fourth for the Gamecocks after two scoreless innings from sophomore Cooper Parks. A wild pitch, which followed a hit-by-pitch and an error from sophomore third baseman Erik Parker, allowed senior left fielder Logan Tribble to score the Terriers’ lone run of the night.
Wofford senior catcher Lucas Manning reached third base after an error from Gamecock sophomore shortstop KJ Scobey and a wild pitch from freshman pitcher Patrick Dudley. With two outs, junior Josh Gregoire relieved Dudley and struck out Wofford sophomore second baseman Tanner Hardin to preserve South Carolina’s lead.
The Gamecocks would break the game open in the fifth inning. After walks from LeCroy and sophomore first baseman Beau Hollins, freshman second baseman Will Craddock hit a three-run home run to center field off of Terrier senior pitcher Champ Davis to give South Carolina a 5-1 lead.
South Carolina wouldn’t stop there. After Parker was hit by a pitch and Evans doubled, Bak hit the Gamecocks’ second three-run homer of the inning to extend the lead to 8-1. Both home runs came with two outs in the inning. Yahusz, South Carolina’s 12th batter of the inning, struck out with the bases loaded to end the fifth.
“I just went up to the plate and thought, just be simple and just be myself instead of trying to be someone I’m not,” Bak said. “Tonight definitely motivated me even more. This season, there’s been a lot of ups and downs, but you’ve just gotta focus on the future and your next AB.”
The Gamecocks padded their lead in the sixth, with a single from Evans driving in Hollins to give South Carolina a 9-1 advantage. Parker then scored from second off a wild pitch and a throwing error from Manning to score the Gamecocks' 10th run of the night.
An RBI single from Craddock in the seventh made it 11-1, with the game ending on a mercy rule.
What’s next?
The Gamecocks will return to conference play with a three-game home set against Texas. The first game will be broadcast on the SEC Network Thursday at 7 p.m.