Baseball Falls to North Carolina A&T on Tuesday Night

COLUMBIA – Two runs in the top of the third inning was the difference as North Carolina A&T shut out the University of South Carolina baseball team, 2-0, Tuesday night (March 26) at Founders Park. It was the first time this season the Gamecocks have been shut out.

Gamecock starter Dylan Harley retired the first two Aggies in the third but walked Dustin Baber. He came around to score on Tony Mack’s double to left. AJ Hunt then scored Mack with a single to left. Carolina did get eight men on base in the game. The best chance of scoring was in the fourth when Jacob Olson hit a two-out double to left and moved to third on Luke Berryhill’s fly out. Chris Cullen then walked but a strikeout ended the inning. Carolina had a runner on third and one out in the ninth, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the game.

Harley took the loss, allowing three hits and two runs with five strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched. Wesley Sweatt came in and allowed just one hit in a scoreless 3.1 innings pitched. Michael Johnson was the winning pitcher for the Aggies, allowing just three hits with five strikeouts and two walks in five innings.

GAMECHANGER

North Carolina A&T used a walk and two hits with two out in the third to score the game-winning runs.

KEY STAT

The Gamecocks were shut out for the first time this season.

NOTABLE

• Brady Allen had his 21-game on-base streak snapped in the N.C. A&T game.
• Aggie pitching struck out 11 Gamecocks on the night.
• Wesley Sweatt had a stretch where he retired eight straight batters. Sweatt had two strikeouts in 3.1 innings of relief.
• Noah Campbell played his first game at second base since March 15 against Georgia.

UP NEXT

Carolina will host Auburn for a three-game series beginning Friday night (March 29) at 7 p.m. The game will be streamed on SEC Network +.