Baseball . February 18, 2026

Craddock Leads Hit Barrage in Run-Rule Win over Gardner-Webb

Game #1

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COLUMBIA – Will Craddock was 3-for-3 at the dish and reached base five times as the University of South Carolina baseball team had 17 hits in a 12-2, eight-inning win over Gardner-Webb Wednesday night (Feb. 18) at Founders Park.

Gardner-Webb was first on the board, scoring two in the top of the third. The Gamecocks responded in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single from Talmadge LeCroy to score KJ Scobey.

Craddock opened the fourth with a triple and scored on Erik Parker’s RBI groundout. Tyler Bak then delivered his first home run of the season, putting the Gamecocks up 3-2.

Back-to-back doubles from Luke Yuhasz and Patrick Evans knocked in a run to open the fifth. An error on the Bulldogs and an RBI sacrifice fly from Reese Moore capped the inning for a 6-2 Carolina lead.

A wild pitch and a passed ball put up two runs for the Gamecocks before Scobey plated a pair of runs in the sixth with a double to extend the lead to eight. Logan Sutter sealed it in the eighth, launching a two-run walk-off home run for a 12-2 run rule victory over the Bulldogs.

Craddock and LeCroy had three hits apiece, while Scobey, Moore, Luke Yuhasz and Evans had two hits apiece. Zach Russell earned the win on the night, tossing 2.1 innings allowing just three hits and striking out three. Carolina’s pitching struck out nine Bulldogs on the night.

POSTGAME NOTES

Talmadge LeCroy tied his career high in hits for the second time this season. He is hitting .421 on the year with four RBI.
Craddock became the first Gamecock to reach base five times in a game since Blake Jackson did against Florida on May 3, 2024.
Carolina used five pitchers throughout the game, with Bradley Hodges getting the start, going 2.2 innings. Josh Gregoire, Hudson Lee and Patrick Dudley all came out in relief, making their first appearance on the mound for the Gamecocks.
Craddock and Parker had their first starts of the season in the Gardner-Webb win.

UP NEXT
South Carolina opens up Salute the Troops weekend against Army on Friday Feb. 20, in Founders Park. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. and the game will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.