Strong Pitching, Timely Hitting Help Baseball Defeat Tar Heels in Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The University of South Carolina baseball team pitching staff allowed just four hits and the Gamecock offense belted a pair of home runs and scored runs in four separate innings in a 5-2 win over No. 17 North Carolina Tuesday night (April 16) at BB&T Ballpark.

Carolina had five pitchers on the hill in tonight’s game, with the Gamecocks striking out 13 Tar Heels. Dylan Harley earned the win on the mound, striking out six and allowing just one hit with two runs in 3.1 innings of relief. John Gilreath struck out four in 2.1 innings while Brett Kerry picked up his fourth save, striking out a batter in two-thirds of an inning.

The Gamecocks got on the board first with a run in the second. Chris Cullen reached on a two-out walk and scored all the way from first as Brady Allen doubled to straightaway center field. In the third, George Callil was hit by a pitch and went to second on a passed ball. He scored as TJ Hopkins singled to left.

Carolina put up two more runs in the fourth as Andrew Eyster led off the inning with a solo home run. Cullen followed with a double, went to third on a flyout and scored on a sacrifice fly from Quinntin Perez. The Tar Heels cut the lead in half in the sixth after a two-run home run by Michael Busch.

Carolina came right back in the top of the seventh as Hopkins’ solo home run to left put the Gamecocks up 5-2.

Hopkins and Allen had two hits apiece for the Gamecocks. Hopkins also drove in a pair while Cullen scored two runs.

GAMECHANGER

Carolina’s pitching allowed just four hits in the win, tied for the second lowest by the Gamecock pitching staff this season.

KEY STAT

Harley moved to 2-2 on the year, retiring the first 10 batters he saw.

NOTABLE

• Caroilna moves to 4-1 this season against teams for the Atlantic Coast Conference.
• Carolina defeated UNC for the first time in Charlotte in four attempts.
• Carolina moved to 2-0 in Charlotte this season. The Gamecocks defeated N.C. State 10-8 on April 2.
• Hopkins belted his ninth home run of the season and his first since March 19 at Furman.
• Kerry is now 3-1 with four saves and a 2.06 ERA after tonight’s game.

UP NEXT

Carolina hosts Texas A&M to start a three-game series this Thursday night (April 18) at 7 p.m. The game will be streamed on SEC Network +.