Gamecock Baseball Notebook
The Gamecocks went 4-0 on the week, highlighted by a three-game sweep of Florida.
COLUMBIA – The University of South Carolina baseball team had a 4-0 week, highlighted by a three-game sweep of No. 5 Florida.
Record: 16-6
SEC: 4-2
Home: 12-1
Away: 3-5
Neutral: 1-0
Streak: W5
Last Week:
3/23/21 – The Citadel (W, 8-3)
3/26/21 – Florida (W, 9-8 (14))
3/27/21 – Florida (W, 4-1)
3/28/21 – Florida (W, 8-5)
NOTES:
The Gamecocks swept Florida for the first time since 2006 as Carolina has now won five games in a row after opening with an 11-game win streak and having a six-game losing streak after that. The sweep also was the first in SEC play since sweeping LSU in 2018.
Carolina won a 9-8, 14-inning instant classic on Friday night that lasted five hours and 31 minutes. It was the longest game by innings since 2014 and by time since at least 2005.
Colin Burgess delivered the game-winning RBI double in the bottom of the 14th inning on Friday. With two out in the 14th and with two strikes, Andrew Eyster belted a solo home run that tied the game at eight. Jeff Heinrich followed with a single and Burgess brought him home with the double to the gap in right.
Burgess had hits in all four games this week, going 8-for-18 (.444) with a double, a home run and three RBI. He also caught all 41 innings for the Gamecocks this week, throwing out 1-of-2 base runners trying to steal.
Will Sanders pitched nine innings in two separate starts this week. He had 10 strikeouts in five innings in a win over The Citadel, allowing just one run and one hit. Sanders then had six strikeouts in four innings in Sunday’s win over Florida. Sanders is now 4-1 on the season with a 2.66 ERA in 12 appearances this season.
Carolina’s pitching struck out 45 batters on the weekend against Florida and held the Gators to a .174 batting average. Julian Bosnic had 10 strikeouts in a pair of appearances this weekend, allowing just two hits and a run in five innings.
Brannon Jordan picked up his second win of the season in Saturday’s 4-1 victory. Jordan went seven innings, allowing just five hits and no earned runs with a walk (intentional) and nine strikeouts. Jordan is 2-2 with a 2.70 ERA on the season.
Andrew Peters pitched four innings of relief on Friday night, keeping the Gators off the scoreboard. He allowed just one hit with five strikeouts in lowering his ERA to 1.56 on the season.
Wes Clarke belted his 13th home run of the year on Sunday. That mark continues to lead the nation. He also has 27 RBI for the year, which leads the team.
Brady Allen belted two home runs in Sunday’s win, becoming the fourth Gamecock to have a multi-home run game this season. Wes Clarke had the previous three (Feb. 20 vs. Dayton, Feb. 23 vs. Winthrop, Feb. 28 vs. Clemson).
The Gamecocks host Gardner-Webb on Tuesday before making the short trek to Georgia this weekend for a three-game SEC series. All four games will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.
Next Week
3/30/21 – Gardner-Webb – 7 p.m. (SECN+)
4/2/21 – at Georgia – 6 p.m. (SECN+)
4/3/21 – at Georgia – 2 p.m. (SECN+)
4/4/21 – at Georgia – 1 p.m. (SECN+)
