Baseball Bests Charlotte in a One-Run Win
The Gamecocks use Andrew Eyster's solo home run in the sixth and solid pitching to earn the win.
COLUMBIA – Andrew Eyster broke a 3-all tie with his fifth home run of the season and the University of South Carolina held on to a 5-4 win over Charlotte Tuesday night (April 9) at Founders Park.
South Carolina took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Brady Allen’s RBI single to left. Charlotte answered with runs in each of the next three innings, highlighted by a Tommy Bullock home run in the fourth.
The Gamecocks tied up the game in the fifth. Eyster singled and went to second as Allen walked. Chris Cullen moved both runners up 90 feet with a sacrifice bunt and Eyster scored on Jonah Beamon’s single to left. Noah Campbell then brought in Allen on a single up the middle.
Eyster’s home run with one out in the sixth gave Carolina the lead. George Callil then hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh, scoring Campbell, who tripled with one out in the inning. Charlotte brought in a run in the ninth on Alec Roberts RBI double but freshman Wesley Sweatt struck out Drew Ober to end the game.
Sawyer Bridges earned the win in relief, striking out the side in the sixth. TJ Shook has a pair of strikeouts in a two-inning start. Sweatt earned the save in the ninth, his first of the season.
Campbell and Eyster had two hits apiece to lead Carolina’s offense. Eyster also scored a pair of runs.
GAMECHANGER
Eyster took his fifth home run of the season to the opposite field in the sixth, giving Carolina a 4-3 lead.
KEY STAT
The Gamecocks struck out just three times while recording 10 punchouts of their own.
NOTABLE
- Carolina improves to 8-2 in one-run contests.
- Carolina now has 52 home runs on the season after Eyster’s blast.
- Luke Berryhill’s on-base streak has now reached 13 games after his walk in the second.
- John Gilreath pitched a pair of scoreless frames in the seventh and eighth innings.
UP NEXT
Carolina heads to Gainesville, Fla., to face Florida in its second straight Thursday-Saturday series. Thursday night’s (April 11) game will start at 7:30 p.m. and be televised on ESPNU.
