March 4, 2015

Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Fifth ranked South Carolina scored 10 runs in the first three innings on the way to an 11-3 victory over High Point on Wednesday at Carolina Stadium. The Gamecocks improve to 9-3 on the year while the loss drop the Panthers to 2-8.

The Gamecocks belted out 12 hits with Alex Destino 3-for-5 with two RBI, Kyle Martin 2-for-4 with a homer and four RBI and DC Arendas and Marcus Mooney with two hits apiece as well. Martin homered as did Schrock. Gene Cone walked three times and scored three runs with Arendas and Mooney adding two runs each also.

Junior right-hander Preston Johnson earned the win in relief, retiring all 11 batters he faced. He worked 3.2 scoreless innings allowing no hits or walks and struck out a career-high five batters. High Point starter Peter Ripke suffered the loss and is now 0-1 on the year. He allowed six runs on five hits in one-plus inning of work.

Martin and Schrock each tallied two-run homers to give the Gamecocks a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Carolina added three runs in the second with Destino driving in a pair with a two-run single with the bases loaded and Schrock adding a sac fly. A three-run third inning featured a RBI single from Elliott Caldwell and a two-run base hit courtesy of Martin, who tied his career-high with four RBI in the contest. Marcus Mooney would add a sac fly in the bottom of the fourth.

GAME CHANGER
Homeruns from Kyle Martin and Max Schrock gave the Gamecocks a 4-0 lead in the first inning.

KEY STAT
The Gamecocks scored 10 runs on nine hits in the first three innings.

NOTABLES
• Kyle Martin tied his career-high of 4 RBI in a game.
• Matthew Vogel tied a career-high with 4 strikeouts.
• Alex Destino made his first career appearance on the mound and recorded his first career strikeout.
• The Gamecocks’ 11 runs are the most in a game this season.
• Preston Johnson made his first career appearance, earned his first win and recorded a career-high five strikeouts.

QUOTABLE
South Carolina Head Coach Chad Holbrook
“We started the game with a really good first three innings, offensively. We swung the bats and our table-setters got on base. Gene (Cone) had three walks and got on base. Elliott (Caldwell) had another nice day. (Kyle Martin) swung the bat the way he’s capable of swinging it. Alex (Destino) had three hits, Max (Schrock) had a big home run there in the first, as did (Martin). It was a good day for us offensively. We did some nice things and obviously got some different people in the game as well. I was really tickled with the way Preston Johnson threw. It’s amazing how the game changes when you have guys in there that can throw two pitches in their for strikes and consistently do it and he did. It’s a great line, three and two thirds (innings), five strikeouts and no hits. It was impressive and it was good to see in his first time out. It’s a good win for us and we certainly have a lot of improving to do. We have to shore some things up. I thought it was a good day for us. We’ll take it and get ready for the weekend.”

UP NEXT
The Gamecocks host Miami (Ohio) in a three-game series, beginning Friday at Carolina Stadium. First pitch for the series opener is set for 7 p.m., all three games can be seen on SEC Network +.