March 22, 2011

Box Score | Quotes

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina batted around in the second inning and scored seven times followed by an eight-run third inning as the Gamecocks defeated College of Charleston 24-4 on Tuesday evening in non-conference baseball action at Carolina Stadium. The 24 runs were a Carolina Stadium single-game record as the Gamecocks tallied 19 hits on the way to the victory. All nine position starters had at least one hit including junior outfielder Adam Matthews, who led the way with a pair of home runs and a career-high eight RBI. The Gamecocks are now 15-4 on the year while the loss drops College of Charleston to 15-7. Carolina ends the homestand on Wednesday night hosting Rhode Island with first pitch set for 7 p.m. at Carolina Stadium.

Matthews became the first Gamecock player this year to tally two home runs in a single game on the way to his 3-for-6 day at the plate with eight RBI. 11 of the Gamecocks’ 19 hits were extra base hits with seven doubles and four home runs. Adrian Morales was 3-for-3 with a career-high four runs scored, Jackie Bradley Jr. homered and went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBI. Brady Thomas also drove in three runs with Jake Williams, Evan Marzilli and Scott Wingo driving in two runs apiece as well.

South Carolina sophomore right-hander Colby Holmes earned the win and is now 2-0 on the year. He worked six-plus innings and allowed three runs on five hits with six strikeouts and two walks allowed. His six strikeouts tied a career-high he set last year vs. Davidson. Gamecock sophomore right-hander Patrick Sullivan pitched three effective innings of relief to earn his first career save. He allowed one run, unearned, on one hit with three strikeouts and a walk. College of Charleston starter Robert Jeroszko suffered the loss and is now 2-2 for the year. He allowed six runs on three hits in 1.2 innings with a pair of walks and a strikeout.

South Carolina broke out in front and batted around to score seven runs in the bottom of the second inning. Adrian Morales got things started with a one-out single that was followed up by a two-run homer to right field by Brady Thomas, his third round tripper of the year that got the Gamecocks on the scoreboard. With two outs, the Gamecocks would add five more runs and knocked Jeroszko from the game in the process. Evan Marzilli drew a walk and Scott Wingo was hit by a pitch to give the Gamecocks a pair of runners. Adam Matthews then delivered as he blasted a two-run double down the left field line giving Carolina a 4-0 lead. A walk to Peter Mooney would give the Gamecocks a pair of runners again and that ended the night for Jeroszko. With Casey Lucchese on in relief, Gamecock junior outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. greeted him with a three-run homer to left field that put Carolina on top 7-0.

Carolina batted around for a second time in the third inning and scored eight times to increase the lead to 15-0. Morales drew a leadoff walk; Jake Williams reached base on a one-out error by Cougars’ shortstop Jamie Holler and Marzilli was hit by pitch to load the bases for Carolina. Wingo greeted reliever xxx with a two-run double down the right field line scoring Morales and Williams. With a pair of runners still on base, Matthews crushed a three-run homer to the deep gap in left-center for his first home run of the season. The Gamecocks were not done there though as they loaded the bases and scored three more times on a walk to Brady Thomas and a double off the wall in left field off the bat of Jake Williams that gave Carolina the 15-0 edge.

College of Charleston got on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth inning as Rob Kral drilled a solo home run to right field, his third home run of the year. Carolina answered though in the bottom of the sixth as Matthews answered with a two-run homer to left field, his second home run of the game.

College of Charleston scored a pair of runs in the seventh inning with a solo home run by Daniel Aldrich and a sacrifice fly by Jesse Mesa. Carolina answered with a pair in the bottom half as Walker and Morales singled and scored on a two-out two-run double by Marzilli.

Carolina completed the scoring in the eighth inning, batting around to score five runs in the last frame at the plate. Pinch hitter Robert Beary had a two-run double, Michael Roth drove in a run with a double, pinch hitter Jake Watson tallied his first career hit with a RBI single and Matthews had his eighth RBI with a RBI walk with the bases loaded.