Baseball Sweeps Bucknell With 12-0 Win In Series Finale
Feb. 16, 2014
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Seventh ranked South Carolina pounded out 17 hits including three homers and freshman right-hander Wil Crowe hurled 6.1 hitless innings in his first career start, as the Gamecocks defeated Bucknell 12-0 on Sunday afternoon to sweep the weekend series against the Bison. The Gamecocks are 3-0 on the year with the Bison falling to 0-3.
Eight of nine position starters had at least one hit. Junior infielder Kyle Martin went 4-for-4 with a RBI and pair of runs scored. Sophomore infielder Max Schrock added two hits and his first home run of the season as well as three runs scored and three RBI. Joey Pankake also had three hits and a homer with Grayson Greiner hitting a three-run homer as well.
Crowe allowed just one walk and hit one batter in his first appearance in the Garnet and Black and struck out five batters to pick up the win. Josh Reagan and Cody Mincey combined for 1.2 scoreless innings of relief allowing just one hit while striking out three batters. Junior right-hander Joel Seddon closed it out with a perfect inning of relief and two strikeouts. Bucknell starter Andrew Andreychik suffered the loss. He worked four-plus innings and allowed seven runs, five earned, on nine hits while striking out one batter.
The Gamecocks broke out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. A throwing error by Bucknell shortstop Greg Wasikowski with two outs allowed both Schrock and Martin to score. Joey Pankake increased South Carolina’s lead to 3-0 with a solo home run in the bottom of the third.
The Gamecocks chased Andreychik in the bottom of the fifth before extending their lead to 7-0. A leadoff single from Tanner English and a double by Marcus Mooney set the stage for Schrock, who sent the first pitch he saw sailing over the right field wall for a three-run homer. After Pankake singled and quickly stole second, he would score the fourth run of the inning as Greiner reached base on a fielder’s choice.
South Carolina added three more runs to its lead in the bottom of the sixth. Martin drove in Schrock with a RBI single for his fourth hit of the game, a career-high and Greiner followed with a two-run homer to give the Gamecocks a 10-0 lead. Carolina made it 12-0 in the bottom of the eighth on a two-run double by Connor Bright.
South Carolina scored 41 runs on 39 hits in the weekend series. Gamecock position players hit .368 (39-for-106) with a .493 on-base percentage. Kyle Martin was the Gamecocks’ leading hitter for the weekend with a .778 average (7-for-9), four RBI and six runs scored. Bright had a team-high seven RBI for the weekend with Pankake and Schrock each scoring eight runs. South Carolina made just one error and the pitching staff combined for a team ERA of 2.00 with 32 strikeouts in 27 innings pitched. Bucknell hit just .186 in the three games.
South Carolina returns to action Tuesday afternoon hosting Presbyterian at Carolina Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 4 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.”
