No. 3 South Carolina 6, The Citadel 4
Columbia, S.C. - The Citadel Baseball team jumped out to an early 4-0 lead on a damp, cool Wednesday night at Carolina Stadium, but No. 3 South Carolina rallied late and used a strong effort from their bullpen in a 6-4 win in front of a paid attendance of 6,227.
The Citadel (10-15) managed just one hit off the Gamecocks bullpen in the final 6.0 innings on Wednesday. Despite being outhit by the Bulldogs, South Carolina (19-5) used timely hits and capitalized on walks and miscues to tie the game and score the go ahead runs.
The Bulldogs struck in the top of the first off South Carolina starter Adam Westmoreland as Drew DeKerlegand (Pearland, Texas) and Matt Simonelli (Orlando, Fla.) reached on back-to-back singles. After a fly out, Joe Jackson (Mauldin, S.C.) delivered a base hit to center with two outs to score DeKerlegand for an early 1-0 lead.
In the second inning, Justin Mackert (Cleveland, Ohio) led off with a single and stole second. After Westmoreland got a strikeout and a pop up, Grant Richards (Morrisville, N.C.) delivered a sharp double to the left field corner to score Mackert to make it 2-0.
The Citadel would plate two more in the fourth when Mackert singled and Brad Felder (Bowman, S.C.) was hit by a pitch with no outs. That would end the evening for Westmoreland as Jose Mata was brought on in relief for the Gamecocks. Legare Jones(Columbia, S.C.) laid down a sacrifice on the first pitch he saw from Mata to move the runners into scoring position with one down. After a strikeout, Nick Orvin (Moncks Corner, S.C.) delivered a base hit with a full count and two outs to shallow right field to plate both Mackert and Felder to make it 4-0.
South Carolina would eventually get on the board off Citadel starter Bryce Hines (Hanahan, S.C.) who worked around trouble early, but allowed just one hit in the first four innings of work. In the fifth, Robert Beary led off with a single and Scott Wingo and Peter Mooney then drew walks to load the bases with no outs.
Evan Marzilli then reached on a fielder's choice as DeKerlegand went home with the groundball to get one out. Jackie Bradley Jr. then walked to score Beary for the first run of the game. Christian Walker followed with a bases-clearing double that stayed just fair down the right field line to tie the game and knock Hines from the contest. Logan Cribb (Rock Hill, S.C.) came on to record the final two outs of the inning.
Hines went 4.1 innings, allowing three hits, four runs, six walks and three strikeouts. Westmoreland went 3.0 innings, allowing six hits, four runs, a walk and strikeout as both starters went without receiving a decision.
In the seventh, Walker broke a tie ballgame with a solo homer to deep to left field off Cribb to give the Gamecocks a 5-4 lead.Drew Mahaffey (Summerville, S.C.) came on in the eighth inning in relief and hit Jake Williams with a pitch. Brady Thomas then reached on a sac bunt attempt that DeKerlegand threw wide of first, allowing the runners to advance to second and third with no outs. Mahaffey then intentionally walked Beary to load the bases and Wingo hit a grounder to first that Mackert couldn't handle, allowing everyone to reach and Williams to score. Mahaffey got back-to-back strikeouts and then a groundout to prevent further damage.
USC closer Matt Price earned his sixth save of the season with a quick ninth inning, striking out a pair to seal the 6-4 comeback win for the Gamecocks. Cribb (0-1) took the loss, allowing two hits, one run and a strikeout in a career-high 2.2 innings pitched.
"We were pleased with Hines for four innings tonight," said head coach Fred Jordan. "He tried a little too hard and got a little too excited with a 4-0 lead in the fifth. Walker made the big plays in what proved to be the difference in game. Mata really did a nice job for them in relief shutting things down for us on offense."
Orvin picked up a pair of RBI while Mackert went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs to lead the Bulldogs on offense. Walker went 2-for-4 with a run and four RBI to power the Gamecocks.
The Citadel continues their road swing on Friday when they travel to Statesboro, Ga. to face Georgia Southern at J.I. Clements Stadium at 7 p.m.
Presbyterian 4, Wofford 0
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - On a cold and wet Wednesday night, the Wofford baseball team was defeated 4-0 by Presbyterian College at Russell C. King Field. The Terriers were limited to only one hit on the night as the Blue Hose had twelve hits.
Wofford is now 14-12 on the season and Presbyterian College is 16-9 overall. The Terriers lone hit was by Eric Brenk in the third inning and Wofford left six runners on base. The Blue Hose were led by Andrew Williams with three hits.
The Blue Hose opened the scoring in the top of the second inning when Tony Micklon reached on a fielder's choice. He was driven in on a hit by Gabe Grammer for a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the third, Eric Brenk led off for Wofford with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, but was stranded.
Wofford left two runners on base in the bottom of the fifth inning. In the top of the sixth, Tony Micklon hit a solo home run to left center to take a 2-0 lead. The Blue Hose added a run in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by Andrew Williams for a 3-0 advantage.
Presbyterian loaded the bases in the top of the eighth, but two strikeouts by Cash Collins ended the scoring threat. In the top of the ninth, Andrew Williams tripled and was driven in by Mack Hite with an RBI single for the 4-0 final score.
Wofford starter Brandon Yarusi went the first three innings and allowed three hits and one run scored with one strikeout. Pete Noordsy did not allow a hit in one inning on the mound. Eric Eck went two innings and allowed one run on two hits with one strikeout. Ryan Traylor allowed one run on four hits in one inning on the mound. Thomas Nichols pitched to one batter and Cash Collins went an inning with two strikeouts. Drew Sheridan went the ninth inning and allowed one run on three hits along with two strikeouts.
Presbyterian starter Steven Richardson threw 6.1 innings and allowed only one hit with four strikeouts. Nick Ferguson went an inning without a hit. Chandler Knox picked up his third save of the season by going 1.2 innings without allowing a base runner.
The Blue Hose won two of the three games in the series this season against the Terriers. On Friday night, Wofford will begin a three-game Southern Conference series at Appalachian State.
Charleston Southern 14, Furman 4
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Walt Quattlebaum went 3-for-5 and drove in three runs to power Charleston Southern to a 14-4 victory over Furman in baseball action Wednesday evening at Latham Stadium.
The win improved Charleston Southern to 15-12 on the season while the loss dropped Furman to 13-15 overall. The Paladins are now 3-12 in their last 15 mid-week games dating back to last year.
Quattlebaum capped a five-run fifth inning with an RBI single and delivered a two-run double in a five-run Buccaneer eighth to highlight CSU's 17-hit attack.
Brantley Meier and Alex Tomasovich also had three hits apiece, and Cody Austin rounded out Charleston Southern's parade of multi-hit displays with a 2-for-5 performance while scoring three runs.
Furman had nine hits in the contest, with Hunter Burton, Harrison Farmer, and Alex Abrams registered two hits apiece.
The Paladins took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a Abrams' RBI single that plated Hunter Burton.
It remained that way until the fifth when the Buccaneers struck for five runs on six hits, keyed by Tom Burkett's two-run single to left field off Furnan starting pitcher Nate Smith (1-3).
Furman answered with three in the bottom of the inning, with Reese Wade's two-run double into the right field corner highlighting the frame that made it a 5-4 game.
The Buccaneers, however, came back with a run in the sixth on a Tomasovich RBI single, two more in the seventh, and a five-run eighth, aided by a pair of Furman errors.
Making only his second appearance of the season, Kyle Ward (1-0) picked up the win in relief of Buccaneer starter Ali Williams, who exited with two outs in the fifth inning. Ward shut out Furman on two hits over 2 1/3 innings and struck out three.
Smith took the loss surrendered five runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked three and fanned two.
Furman is off this weekend and will return to action next Tuesday when it will entertain East Tennessee State in a 6:00 p.m. game at Latham Stadium.
Elon-ECU Baseball Game Postponed
GREENVILLE, N.C. -- Heavy rains throughout the state of North Carolina have forced the postponement of today's scheduled Elon baseball game at East Carolina. The contest has been rescheduled for Wednesday, April 6 at 6 p.m. in Greenville, N.C.
Elon (17-9 overall, 8-1 SoCon) will make the short trip down I-85 to battle Triad rival UNC Greensboro in a Southern Conference series this weekend. Friday's first pitch is set for 6 p.m. and all three games of the series will be broadcast on WSOE 89.3 FM.
ASU-Gardner Webb Baseball Postponed
BOONE, N.C. - Wednesday's baseball game between Appalachian State University and Gardner-Webb has been postponed due to rain and fog in the High Country. The game will be made up on Wednesday, April 13. Game time is TBA.
Appalachian (12-13) returns to Southern Conference play for the first time in two weeks on Friday when it begins a three-game conference series versus Wofford at ASU's Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium. Game times are set for 6 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
UNCG's game against North Carolina A&T washed out
GREENSBORO, N.C. - UNCG's game against North Carolina A&T that was scheduled for Wednesday at 6 p.m. has been cancelled due to continuous rain in the Greensboro area.
The game was an annually scheduled matchup between the two teams at NewBridge Bank Park, home of the Greensboro Grasshoppers.
The Spartans return to action on Friday as they host Elon for a three-game set at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
CofC Baseball at UNC Wilmington Postponed
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - Tonight's College of Charleston non-conference baseball contest at UNC Wilmington scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at Brooks Field in Wilmington, N.C. has been postponed due to the forecast of rain the area. Details on the rescheduled game are still being determined.
The Cougars return to Southern Conference play this weekend as they host Western Carolina for a three-game series at Patriots Point. Friday's game is set for a 6:00 p.m. start.