Baseball Shuts Out The Citadel Behind 12 Strikeouts From Shook

COLUMBIA – Redshirt sophomore TJ Shook struck out a career high 12 in 6.1 innings and the University of South Carolina baseball team used an eight-run second inning in a 9-0 shutout of The Citadel Tuesday night (March 5) at Founders Park.

Shook, who had a previous career high of five strikeouts coming into today’s game, struck out the side in the third and the fifth and had two strikeouts in the second and sixth. Shook and John Gilreath combined to allow just two hits as Carolina completed its first shutout of 2019.

Carolina got all the runs it would need in the second. Andrew Eyster opened the frame with a solo home run to center. Jordan Hollady singled to left with one out and George Callil then hit his first home run, a two-run shot to the visitor’s bullpen, giving the Gamecocks a 3-0 lead. Noah Campbell singled and Brady Allen walked with one away. Luke Berryhill doubled to center, scoring both runners for a 5-0 lead.

Jacob Olson doubled to left to score Berryhill and after an Eyster walk, Chris Cullen reached on an error, bringing in a pair of runs for the 8-0 lead. Olson brought in the game’s ninth run in the sixth on a single to left that scored Berryhill.

Olson led the Gamecocks with two hits, while Callil, Olson and Berryhill had two RBI apiece.

GAMECHANGER

The Citadel put a pair of runners on in the second, but TJ Shook struck out a pair of batters, then induced a pop out to get out of the last jam of the night.

KEY STAT

Carolina struck out a season-high 16 batters as John Gilreath had four punchouts in his 2.2 innings of work.

NOTABLE

• Andrew Eyster is now hitting .386 with four doubles and three home runs this season.
• Shook also set a career high in innings pitched at 6.1. The previous high was 3.1 innings, which he did on two occasions.
• The shutout was Carolina’s first since a 1-0 win over Missouri on May 13, 2018.
• The two teams will play again next Tuesday in Charleston.
• Carolina now has 25 home runs on the year, still second in the country after Eyster and Callil’s round trippers.

UP NEXT

South Carolina hosts Gardner-Webb this Wednesday (March 6) at Founders Park. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.