Baseball Puts Up Crooked Numbers in Win over Utah Valley

COLUMBIA – The University of South Carolina baseball team had three innings of at least four runs while the Gamecock bullpen pitched five scoreless innings in a 15-3 win over Utah Valley on Friday night (Feb. 22) at Founders Park.

Carolina scored five runs in the third, sending 10 men to the plate. Noah Campbell hit a one-out hotshot back to the pitcher for a single. He went to third on a single from Quinntin Perez and both of those runners crossed the plate on Luke Berryhill’s double down the left field line. Jacob Olson belted his third home run of the year, a two-run shot that was originally ruled a double before replay overturned that to a home run. Brady Allen brought in the last run of the frame on a double that scored Andrew Eyster.

The Wolverines put up three runs in the fourth, but Carolina answered with a four-spot in the bottom of the frame, sending 10 more men to the plate. A pair of walks and a TJ Hopkins single loaded the bases. Berryhill brought in a run on a hit by pitch and Olson plated two with a double to left. A bases loaded walk to Allen scored Berryhill, making it 9-3 after four.

The Gamecocks put the game away in the sixth, scoring five more runs. The highlight was a three-run home run off the bat of Campbell, scoring Chris Cullen and Nick Neville. Allen and Nick Neville also drove in a run in that inning. Carolina ended the scoring in the eighth on Jordan Holladay’s RBI single that scored Wes Clarke.

Brett Kerry earned the win on the mound, pitching two innings of relief with four strikeouts. Carmen Mlodzinski started the game for the Gamecocks. He struck out four in four innings of work, allowing one earned run and two hits with five walks. Wesley Sweatt had a pair of strikeouts in two innings of work and Gage Hinson pitched a scoreless ninth.

For Carolina, Olson was 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored. Allen and Campbell each had two hits and three RBI while Berryhill scored two runs and drove in three.

GAMECHANGER

Scoreless after two and a half innings of play, Carolina exploded for five runs in the bottom of the third inning, including Jacob Olson’s third home run of the season.

KEY STAT

The Carolina bullpen was efficient again tonight, striking out six with no walks in five scoreless innings of work.

NOTABLE

• Luke Berryhill tied a single-game school record, being hit three times in Friday’s win. It has happened on five other occasions, most recently to Scott Wingo against Duquesne in 2008.
• Seven players made their season debut tonight, six of who made their Carolina debut. Ian Jenkins, Jonah Beamon, Wes Clarke, George Callil, Wesley Sweatt and Joel Brewer played for the first time at Carolina while Gage Hinson made his 2019 debut.
• Olson tied a season high with four RBI in tonight’s win. He now has eight RBI on the year.
• This was the first meeting between Carolina and Utah Valley.
• Brett Kerry now has nine strikeouts in five innings of relief after striking out five in tonight’s win.

UP NEXT

South Carolina and Utah Valley continue the three-game series Saturday afternoon (Feb. 23) at 2 p.m. at Founders Park.