Baseball Falls in Extras to No. 4 Ole Miss
May 6, 2018
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The University of South Carolina baseball team went into extra innings for the first time this season, falling 6-5 to No. 4 Ole Miss in 10 frames Sunday afternoon (May 6) at Founders Park. The Gamecocks still took 2-of-3 games from the Rebels, winning their third straight series in the SEC.
Ole Miss struck first with solo home runs from Thomas Dillard and Chase Cockrell in the top of the second, taking an early 2-0 lead.
The Gamecocks tied it up in the bottom of the third thanks to a two-run single from Madison Stokes that scored Jacob Olson and Hunter Taylor, Olson had reached base on a single and Taylor on a fielder’s choice, making the score 2-2.
The Rebels retook the lead in the top of the fifth with a solo home run from Nick Fortes, giving Ole Miss a 3-2 edge.
Carolina loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth with a Stokes single, a single from Jonah Bride, and a hit by pitch to Justin Row. LT Tolbert stepped to the plate with two outs and drew a walk, bringing home Stokes and tying the game again, 3-3.
Hunter Taylor gave the Gamecocks their first lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run. Carlos Cortes followed suit with his own solo homer over the Carolina bullpen, giving the Gamecocks a 5-3 lead.
The lead was cut to 5-4 in the top of the seventh when Cole Zabowski hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Fortes.
Another solo home run for the Rebels, the second by Cockrell, in the top of the eighth tied the game for the third time.
Ole Miss scored off a sacrifice fly from Cockrell in the top of the 10th for the game-winning run.
The 8-9 hitters Olson and Taylor combined for six hits and three runs scored. Stokes and Bride had two hits apiece while Stokes drove in a pair of runs.
Sawyer Bridges was tagged with the loss, allowing a run to go along with a strikeout in 1.1 innings of relief. Cody Morris earned the start for Carolina. He allowed six hits and two runs with five strikeouts and three walks in 3.1 innings. Eddy Demurias fanned three and allowed five hits and three runs in 4.1 innings.
GAMECHANGER
Ole Miss put up a run in the top of the 10th after a single, double and sacrifice fly.
KEY STAT
The Gamecocks had 13 hits on the day but also left 13 men on base in the loss.
NOTABLE
- There were six home runs hit in Sunday’s contest. Hunter Taylor and Carlos Cortes both went deep in the sixth frame.
- Carolina had 13 hits on the day and now has double figures in hits in nine of the last 10 contests.
- Carolina went to extra innings for the first time this season. Ole Miss is now 1-2 in extra-inning games.
- Eddy Demurias pitched six innings of relief in the Ole Miss series, striking out four in two appearances.
- Jacob Olson now has 15 doubles on the season, which leads the team, to go along with his 10 home runs.
UP NEXT
South Carolina will face the College of Charleston Wednesday night (May 9) at Spirit Communications Park, home of the Columbia Fireflies. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.
