Baseball Drops Game 3 with UNCG 1-0
Feb. 19, 2017
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Sophomore right-hander Adam Hill allowed just one hit and an unearned run in seven innings of work, but UNCG right-handers Matt Frisbee and Andrew Wantz combined to limit fourth-ranked South Carolina to four hits as the Spartans defeated the Gamecocks 1-0 on Sunday afternoon at Founders Park. Despite the loss, the Gamecocks won the series and are 2-1 on the season with UNCG 1-2 on the year.
Frisbee allowed just three hits through seven scoreless innings with a walk and four strikeouts to earn the win. He is now 1-0 on the season. Wantz pitched two innings with one hit and two strikeouts for his first save of the year.
Gamecock starting pitcher Adam Hill suffered his first career loss and is 0-1 for the season. Hill struck out seven and walked two as he tied a career-high innings pitched. Gamecock senior left-hander Josh Reagan pitched two scoreless innings of relief with one walk and three strikeouts.
UNCG went ahead 1-0 in the top of third, despite not recording a hit. Austin Embler drew a leadoff walk, stole second base and advanced to third on a passed ball. He would score on Ben Spitznagel’s RBI groundout to first base.
The Gamecocks threatened in the eighth as LT Tolbert led off with a single to right center and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jonah Bride. Wantz walked TJ Hopkins, but the Spartans turned a 6-3 double play on a sharp hit ball up the middle by Danny Blair to end the inning and the threat.
GAME CHANGER
The Spartans run in the third inning despite not recording a hit gave them a 1-0 lead they would not relinquish.
KEY STAT
The Gamecocks were limited to just four hits on the day, with five starters a combined 0-for-13 at the plate.
NOTABLES
• Adam Hill tied his career longest outing with seven innings pitched. He also went seven innings in his last start of the 2016 season in a win vs. Rhode Island in the NCAA Regional.
• Danny Blair had his best series at the plate in a Gamecock uniform in his career as he went 6-for-11 (.545) to lead the Gamecocks at the plate over the weekend.
•South Carolina’s pitching staff was strong the entire weekend vs. UNCG as the Gamecock pitchers combined to allow just three runs, one earned, on 10 hits with 27 strikeouts in 27 innings of work. UNCG, who led the NCAA in hitting in 2016, hit just .115 with a .149 slugging percentage and a .179 on-base percentage.
QUOTABLE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA HEAD COACH Chad Holbrook
“I don’t know if I remember being involved in one of those in which we only give the opponent one hit and we find a way to lose the game. A lot of the balls that we did hit pretty well seemed to be right at them and obviously there was a big double play there in the eighth. If I picked one player that would never hit into a double play it would be Danny Blair, but its just kind of the day it was for us offensively. Our pitching staff did a great job. They’re a really good team… Probably coming into the series on Thursday, out of the respect I have for their team and what I think they are and how old they are and what kind of club they have, I would’ve took the series win, but that being said, you wanted to play better on Sunday when you had a chance to do something special and we didn’t do enough offensively. You have give credit to UNC Greensboro.”
UP NEXT
The Gamecocks are back in action on Tuesday, Feb. 21 as they host the 49ers of Charlotte at 4 p.m. at Founders Park. 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.”
