Stokes' Big Day Fuels Black To World Series Win
Oct. 25, 2017
COLUMBIA — Fueled by three hits and four RBI from senior Madison Stokes and quality pitching from freshman Logan Chapman, the Black team won game one of South Carolina baseball’s 2017 Garnet and Black World Series, 7-3, on Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 25) at Founders Park.
Stokes was a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI and two runs scored in the World Series opener. That included a three-run home run over the bullpen in left in the second inning. Freshman Noah Campbell had two hits, including a solo blast to right field while junior Chris Cullen had two hits in the win. For the Garnet team, senior Hunter Taylor drove in three runs with a home run into the bullpen in left.
Chapman earned the win on the mound, striking out a pair while allowing two hits and two runs in three-plus innings. Freshman Shane Roberts had three punchouts for the Black team in 1.1 innings pitched. For the Garnet team, freshman Cam Tringali struck out a pair in the final 1.1 innings of work.
Sophomore Riley Hogan and senior Jonah Bride reached with one-out singles in the second. They trotted home on Stokes’ home run for the early three-run lead. Cullen then gave Black a 4-0 lead on an RBI single to center.
Black took a 5-0 lead on sophomore Christian Flint’s RBI single in the fourth. Garnet stormed back in the bottom of the frame on Taylor’s three-run home run to left. That was as close as Garnet got as Stokes’ RBI double in the fifth and Campbell’s home run in the sixth accounted for the final score.
The Gamecocks will wrap up the fall schedule with game two of the Garnet and Black World Series Friday night (Oct. 27) with a 6 p.m. first pitch at Founders Park.