May 9, 2012

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Columbia, S.C. – Junior center fielder Evan Marzilli belted a three-run homer and tied a career-high with four RBI and behind five scoreless innings from starting pitcher Joel Seddon, third ranked South Carolina defeated Furman 7-0 Wednesday evening in non-conference action at Carolina Stadium. The Gamecocks improve to 37-12 on the year while Furman drops to 22-26 for the season.

Seddon earned the win and is now 2-0 on the year. He allowed just two hits with one walk while tying a career-high with four strikeouts. Seddon, Nolan Belcher, Patrick Sullivan and Logan Munson combined for a four-hit shutout. Furman starting pitcher Ben Carlson suffered the loss and is now 1-5 for the season. He allowed one run on three hits in three innings of work with one walk and one strikeout.

Carolina broke ahead in the first inning. Marzilli reached base with a one-out single, stole second and scored on LB Dantzler’s two-out base hit up the middle. The game remained that way until Marzilli struck again in the fifth inning with a three-run home run to right field. Dante Rosenberg drew a two-out walk and Joey Pankake singled setting the stage for Marzilli. On a 1-1 pitch, Marzilli launched a deep fly over the right field wall increasing the Gamecock lead to four runs. Both of Marzilli’s home runs this season have been three-run homers and against Furman.

South Carolina increased the lead to 6-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning. After loading the bases with one out, LB Dantzler singled a run and Kyle Martin drove in another with a sacrifice fly to right field. The Gamecocks made it 7-0 in the eighth inning with Marzilli driving in his fourth run with a two-out RBI single.

A nine-hit evening for South Carolina included a 3-for-5 day for Marzilli, who also scored two runs. Dantzler was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Pankake and Rosenberg scored two runs apiece also. Chris Ohmstede was 2-for-4 to lead Furman.

South Carolina returns to action this weekend with a three game series at Georgia. First pitch for the opener on Friday will be at 7 p.m. Saturday’s game is at 1 p.m. with Sunday’s game scheduled at 2 p.m. All three games can be heard on the Gamecock Radio Network from IMG College and Saturday’s game will be televised live on CSS as well as Time Warner Cable channel 506 in South Carolina.