Baseball Falls to Georgia on Saturday Afternoon

COLUMBIA – The University of South Carolina baseball team jumped out to a 5-1 lead on Saturday afternoon (March 16), but Georgia scored four in the fourth and two in the fifth to take the lead for good in an 8-7 win over the Gamecocks to clinch a series win.

Carolina got on the board in the bottom of the second inning as Luke Berryhill led off the frame with a solo home run to right. Georgia answered with a run in the third as Aaron Schunk drove in Tucker Maxwell with a single to left but the Gamecocks answered with a four-spot in the third. Ian Jenkins led off the inning with a home run to right. After Quinntin Perez was hit by a pitch, Andrew Eyster belted a two-run home run to right to make it 4-1. A Berryhill single was followed by Jacob Olson’s double to center to make it 5-1.

Georgia started the fourth with a walk and two singles that plated a run. The Bulldogs loaded the bases as a fielder’s choice was thrown away at second. Riley King made the Gamecocks pay with a two-run single to right center. Schunk drove in the fourth run on a sacrifice fly to center.

Carolina answered back with a run in the fourth to retake the lead. Brady Allen walked to start the inning. He stole second and scored on George Callil’s single to right. The Bulldogs took the lead for good in the fifth, scoring a pair of unearned runs. Austin Meadows reached on an error, moved to second on a ground out and scored on a double from Chaney Rogers. Georgia put a pair of runners in scoring position after a walk, wild pitch and stolen base. Rogers scored on an RBI groundout by Maxwell.

Austin Meadows singled home King in the sixth with an RBI single. The Gamecocks came back with a run in the eighth as Chris Cullen brought in Olson with a sacrifice fly to right. Carolina had a runner on base in the eighth but a fielder’s choice and strikeout ended the inning. Schunk picked up his seventh save of the year with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

Berryhill was 2-for-4 with two runs scored to lead the Carolina offense. Eyster also drove in a pair of runs. The loss went to Daniel Lloyd in relief, who gave up a pair of unearned runs on one hit. Reid Morgan started for the Gamecocks, allowing eight hits and four earned runs with three strikeouts in four innings of work. Will Proctor earned the win in relief for Georgia, striking out three in 1.1 innings of relief.

GAMECHANGER

Carolina had three errors on the day, leading to three unearned runs.

KEY STAT

Carolina now has 36 home runs after 19 games this season after the three round trippers on the afternoon.

NOTABLE

• Cam Tringali had three strikeouts in 2.1 innings of scoreless relief, lowering his ERA to 2.25.
• Georgia has won five games in a row in the all-time series against the Gamecocks.
• Quinntin Perez now has a .489 on-base percentage after a walk and being hit by his seventh pitch of the season.
• Today’s attendance was 7,210 at Founders Park.

UP NEXT

Carolina and Georgia wrap up the three-game series Sunday afternoon (March 17) at 1:30 p.m. at Founders Park.