April 14, 2015

Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery

COLUMBIA, S.C. – After South Carolina rallied with a run in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie Presbyterian 4-4, the Blue Hose scored three runs in the 10th inning to defeat the Gamecocks 7-4 on Tuesday night at Carolina Stadium. Presbyterian improves to 22-15 with South Carolina dropping to 23-15 on the year.

South Carolina trailed 4-3 entering the bottom of the ninth. Gene Cone drew a one-out walk and a fielder’s choice off the bat of Madison Stokes and a muffed throw by Presbyterian second baseman Billy Motroni gave the Gamecocks a pair of runners. Max Schrock then knocked an infield single that then got past Motroni and into right field allowing Cone to score to tie the game up. After an intentional walk to Kyle Martin loaded the bases, the Blue Hose escaped the jam as a fielder’s choice on a ball hit by Elliott Caldwell would result in an out at home plate and a flyout to center field off the bat of Connor Bright ended the ninth.

Presbyterian then came back with three runs in the 10th inning. AJ Priaulx and Jacob Midkiff each singled followed by Brandon Martin’s two-run triple. Glen Casaceli then singled to score Martin.

Presbyterian reliever Ethan Wortkoetter earned the win after 1.2 scoreless innings of relief. He is now 3-2 on the year. Gamecock reliever Cody Mincey suffered the loss and is now 1-2 for the season. He allowed three runs on three hits in 2.2 innings with two walks and a strikeout.

Presbyterian plated four runs in the top of the second to take a 4-0 lead. After a leadoff single from Cam McRae, Ryan Hendrick sent the first pitch he saw from Gamecock starter Tyler Johnson over the left field wall for a two-run homer. PC would get two more runs in the inning.

Caldwell drove in a pair of runs in the bottom of the third to cut the Blue Hose’s lead to 4-2. Stokes and Schrock both singled and with two outs and both on second and third, Caldwell knocked a base hit up the middle.

The Gamecock cut the PC lead to one run in the sixth as Caldwell tripled and scored on DC Arendas’ sac fly to center field.

Jacob Midkiff went 4-for-5 to lead Presbyterian at the plate. Brandon Martin had three hits as well. Schrock went 3-for-4, Stokes and Caldwell added two hits as well to lead the Gamecocks at the plate.

GAME CHANGER
Brandon Martin’s two-run triple in the 10th inning.

KEY STAT
Four Presbyterian relievers allowed just one unearned run in five innings of relief pitching for the Blue Hose.

NOTABLES
• Canaan Cropper recorded a career-high two strikeouts and tied a career-high two innings pitched.
• Madison Stokes tied a career-high two hits in a game.
• Caldwell tallied his sixth triple of the season, which ties the single-season school record set by Brian Buscher in 2002 and Jake Williams in 2011.
• Caldwell has a team-leading 16 multi-hit games this season.

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Chad Holbrook
“Obviously I sit up here extremely disappointed. Baseball can be exhilarating at times and it can be awfully cruel at times. Like I told the team after the game, there might be some things going against us and we might be a victim of some tough luck, but in this game you have to make your own breaks. [Presbyterian College] made their own breaks tonight. We’ll hit a ball on the screw and it’ll be caught and we’ll feel sorry for ourselves and you can’t do that. The next guy has to hit a ball on the screws and the next guy has to hit a ball on the screws until the ball falls in. We’re looking around for answers when we think something good should happen and you can’t think something good should happen, you have to make something good happen. [Presbyterian College] played free and easy tonight and played very well and executed and we fought hard but I thought our guys were up tight and trying too hard. Sometimes you don’t play your best baseball when you play that way.”

UP NEXT
The Gamecocks host Vanderbilt in a three-game SEC series with at Carolina Stadium. Thursday’s series opener will be televised on ESPNU with fist pitch set for 7:30 p.m. Friday’s contest is slated for 7 p.m. on the SEC Network while Sasturday’s game will be televised on ESPN 2 at 1 p.m. All three games can be heard on the Gamecock IMG Network including flagship station, 107.5 FM, “The Game.”