Baseball Falls in Saturday Contest at Vanderbilt
April 28, 2018
NASHVILLE, Tenn. ââ’¬” Carlos Cortes had a first-inning home run and the University of South Carolina baseball team matched No. 17 Vanderbilt in hits, but a six-run second propelled the Commodores to an 8-1 win over the Gamecocks Saturday afternoon (April 28) at Hawkins Field.
The Gamecocks got on the board first in the first as Cortes belted his 11th home run of the season, a solo shot to right field. Vandy responded with six runs on six singles in the second off Gamecock starter Adam Hill, highlighted by two-run hits from Julian Infante and Phillip Clarke.
Vandy made it 8-1 in the fifth on a two-run home run by Alonzo Jones. The Gamecocks had nine hits on the day, including two apiece by TJ Hopkins, Jonah Bride and Jacob Olson but the first-inning home run was the lone run of the day.
Hill was tagged with the loss for Carolina, allowing seven runs and eight hits in 4.1 innings pitched. He struck out six and walked two. Ridge Chapman had four strikeouts in 2.2 innings, allowing a hit and a run with no walks. Graham Lawson had a strikeout in the ninth inning.
GAME CHANGER
Vanderbilt scored six runs off of six hits in the bottom of the second inning, sending 11 men to the plate.
KEY STAT
TJ Hopkins had two more hits in today’s game and now has 14 hits in the last six games since coming back from injury.
NOTABLE
- Carolina had its five-game winning streak snapped as well as its five-game double-digit hit streak snapped. The Gamecocks came close as Hopkins singled in the ninth for the ninth hit of the day.
- The Gamecocks left 10 men on base in the loss.
- Jacob Olson had his team-leading 14th double of the year in the fourth inning.
- Jonah Bride has reached base in 40 of Carolina’s 43 games this season. Bride was 2-for-4 in today’s game.
UP NEXT
The Gamecocks and Commodores will play the rubber match Sunday afternoon (April 29) at 1 p.m. CDT (2 p.m. EDT).
