April 21, 2015
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Furman right-handers Matthew Quarles and Elliott Warford combined to limit South Carolina to one run on four hits as the Paladins defeated the Gamecocks 2-1 on Tuesday night at Fluor Field. The Gamecocks are now 25-17 with Furman 19-20 on the year.
Quarles allowed just one run on two hits in seven innings with a walk and seven strikeouts to earn the win. He is 4-1 on the year. Warford pitched two scoreless with three strikeouts to tally his fourth save of the year. Gamecock starting pitcher Reed Scott suffered the loss and is 1-2 for the season. He allowed two runs on five hits in 4.1 innings with a walk and two strikeouts. Gamecock left-hander Josh Reagan pitched 3.2 scoreless innings of relief with six strikeouts.
The Gamecocks broke ahead 1-0 in the top of the fourth inning. Gene Cone unloaded on the first pitch he saw for a triple to right field and scored on DC Arendas’ sac fly to left field.
The Paladins tied it in the bottom of the fourth. Carter Grote was hit by a pitch to open the frame and Landon Kay singled with one out. Grote would score on Chris Ohmstede’s RBI bloop double down the right field line. Furman took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth on a solo homer by Cameron Whitehead, his fourth homer of the year.
The Gamecocks threatened in the ninth inning as Arendas led off with a single to left and reached second base on a fielding error by Furman outfielder Carter Grote. Warford dug deep though as he struck out Max Schrock, Kyle Martin and Elliott Caldwell to close the game out for the Paladins.
GAME CHANGER
Whitehead’s solo homer in the fifth inning gave Furman a one-run lead it would not relinquish.
KEY STAT
The Gamecocks were limited to just four hits on the night with the 3-7 hole hitters in the lineup 0-for-17 at the plate.
NOTABLES
• Sophomore outfielder Gene Cone’s triple in the fourth inning was his second triple of the year.
• Junior infielder DC Arendas’ sacrifice fly in the fourth inning was his fifth of the year, tied for the team lead with Kyle Martin.
• Reagan’s six strikeouts tied a career-high he set vs. Stetson on March 4, 2014.
• Sophomore right-hander Taylor Widener was named to the NCBWA Midseason Stopper of the Year Watch List on Tuesday afternoon. Widener ranks tied for second in the SEC with nine saves on the year and 34 strikeouts in 23.2 innings pitched.
QUOTABLE
Head Coach Chad Holbrook
“We pitched well, played great defense. (Our) pitchers were terrific, did all we could ask them to do against a really good hitting team. We just didn’t do enough offensively, very disappointing performance by our position players from a hitting standpoint. We pitched well enough to win. Give credit to Furman’s two arms, they threw the ball very well. They located their pitches. They were better on the mound than our hitters were (at the plate) tonight, and that’s the reason they won.”
UP NEXT
South Carolina heads to Tennessee for a three-game series against the Volunteers. First pitch for the opener is set for Friday at 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday’s contests are 1 p.m. All three can be heard on the Gamecock IMG Network including flagship station, 107.5 FM, “The Game.” Friday and Saturday’s games will be broadcast on SEC Network Plus with Sunday’s game televised on SEC Network.
