Feb. 22, 2014

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COLUMBIA, S.C. – Sophomore left-hander Jack Wynkoop hurled 7.1 scoreless innings and tallied a career-high 10 strikeouts as he combined with three other Gamecocks for a three-hit shutout as South Carolina blanked Eastern Kentucky 2-0 on Saturday afternoon at Carolina Stadium. The Gamecocks recorded their fourth straight shutout of the season, the first time since 1972 and have now shut out opponents for 42 straight innings. South Carolina is 6-0 on the year while the Colonels fall to 1-5.

Junior catcher Grayson Greiner went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and hit his second home run of the season. Brison Celek and Elliot Caldwell each added a pair of hits and Connor Bright tallied his team-leading fifth double of the season. Bright has hit safely in all six games this year.

Wynkoop improved to 2-0 on the season. He allowed only three hits and one walk. Cody Mincey and Vince Fiori would each retire a batter in the eighth inning with junior right-hander Joel Seddon earning his first save of the season as he closed it out with a perfect ninth inning with two strikeouts. Eastern Kentucky starter Tanner Perkins suffers the loss and is now 0-1 on the year. Perkins pitched six innings giving up two runs on seven hits, two walks and struck out one batter.

Scoreless through five, the Gamecocks got on the board in the bottom of the sixth taking a 2-0 lead over the Colonels. Connor Bright doubled to left field, setting the stage for Grayson Greiner, who launched the first pitch he saw into the left field stands for a two-run homer.

The series concludes on Sunday at Carolina Stadium with first pitch set for 1:30 p.m. Live video broadcast is available at GamecocksOnline.com. The game can also be heard on the Gamecock Radio Network from IMG College including flagship station 107.5 FM, “The Game.”