March 11, 2016
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Sophomore right-hander Clarke Schmidt extended his scoreless inning streak to 24.1 innings and Dom Thompson-Williams went 2-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs as 16th-ranked South Carolina defeated Charleston Southern 9-0 on Friday night at Founders Park. The Gamecocks are 13-2 on the year, with Charleston Southern dropping to 8-6 for the season.
Schmidt allowed just four hits in 7.1 innings to improve to 4-0 on the year. He struck out nine and walked none. Charleston Southern right-hander Evan Raynor suffered the loss after allowing seven runs on six hits with two walks and only one strikeout. He is 3-1 on the year.
The Gamecocks took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning following a pair of Charleston Southern errors. With two outs and Chris Cullen on first base, DC Arendas lifted a fly ball into the gap in left-center that was dropped by CSU left fielder Cole German, allowing Cullen to score all the way from first base. Arendas would then score on the second error of the inning as CSU third baseman Nate Blanchard threw wide of first base on a grounder off the bat of Marcus Mooney.
Carolina increased the lead to 5-0 in the third inning. Jonah Bride led off with a hit by pitch, John Jones walked and a throwing error by CSU second baseman Ryan Maksim on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Alex Destino to load the bases with no outs. Thompson-Williams belted a double to right field scoring both Bride and Jones. Destino would eventually score on LT Tolbert’s RBI groundout.
Thompson-Williams would come up with another big hit in the fifth inning, this time a two run homer to right-center that increased the lead to 7-0. Carolina would add two more runs in the eighth inning as Danny Blair drove in a run with a fielding error allowing the second run of the frame to score.
GAME CHANGER
Carolina scored five runs in the second and third innings taking advantage of three Charleston Southern errors.
KEY STAT
Clarke Schmidt and reliever Kyle Anderson limited CSU to five singles while the Gamecocks pounded out 13 hits.
NOTABLES
– Jonah Bride leads South Carolina and the SEC with nine hit by pitches this season.
– Dom Thompson-Williams recorded a career-high four RBI. His previous mark of three came earlier in the week vs. Wofford.
– Freshman left-hander Kyle Anderson made his first appearance as a Gamecock. He pitched 1.2 scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
– Gene Cone and Chris Cullen each had two hits and Alex Destino extended his hitting streak to seven games.
– Gamecocks are now 9-0 on the year with 10 or more hits in the game.
– South Carolina has allowed five runs or less in all 15 games this season.
– Dom Thompson-Williams has safely reached base in all 15 games this season.
– The Gamecocks have not committed an error in four straight contests, as well as six of the last seven games.
– The 9-0 victory was South Carolina’s second shutout of the year.
QUOTABLE
Head Coach Chad Holbrook
“I was really pleased with our team. I thought we played very well. Clarke [Schmidt] was outstanding on the mound with nine strikeouts and no walks against a very good hitting team. I thought runs might be at a premium tonight with [Evan] Raynor’s numbers and how he had pitched coming into the game. Offensively, I think we were as good as we have been all year, from an approach standpoint, making adjustments within the at bat and using the other side of the field. The guys worked hard at that all week long, and their hard work showed tonight. Dom [Thompson-Williams] had some good swings of the bat. We put pressure on them, and they probably didn’t play their best game. They helped us some defensively with a few miscues. All in all, we played very well tonight, and hopefully that will give us a little boost of confidence as we go in to tomorrow.”
UP NEXT
South Carolina and Charleston Southern continue with game two of the series on Saturday at Founders Park with first pitch set for 4 p.m. It will be broadcast live on SEC Network +. The game can be heard on the Gamecock IMG Network including flagship station, 107.5 FM, “The Game.”
