Baseball Falls to Furman Wednesday Night
The Gamecocks allow three runs in the ninth in a 7-4 loss.
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The University of South Carolina baseball team allowed three runs in the ninth inning in a 7-4 loss to Furman Wednesday night (May 8) at Founders Park.
Carolina got on the board with a run in the top of the first. Noah Campbell doubled down the left field line and moved to third on a groundout. Andrew Eyster then grounded out to short, scoring the game’s first run. Furman struck back with two runs in the third on Jabari Richards’ eighth home run of the season.
The Gamecocks re-tied the game in the bottom of the third as Nick Neville tripled to right and scored on a Campbell groundout. Furman went up 4-2 in the top of the fifth on a sacrifice fly to center and a wild pitch.
Carolina chipped away with a TJ Hopkins home run in the sixth and back-to-back base hits by Hopkins and Eyster in the eighth to tie it at four.
In the ninth, Furman loaded the bases with one out. Trent Alley singled up the middle to plate a pair and Logan Taplett singled to left to make it 7-4.
Hopkins and Eyster had two hits apiece with Eyster driving in a pair. Dylan Harley took the loss, allowing three runs on a hit with two strikeouts and two walks in 1.1 innings pitched. Wesley Sweatt started the game, pitching four innings and allowing two hits and two runs with four strikeouts and three walks.
GAMECHANGER
Carolina tied the game at four in the eighth, but three runs off three hits in the ninth propelled the Paladins to the win.
KEY STAT
Hopkins hit his 10th home run of the season. Carolina now has three players (Hopkins, Luke Berryhill and Jacob Olson) with double-digit home runs.
NOTABLE
- Five of Carolina’s six hits on the night were for extra bases.
- Carolina pitching had 10 strikeouts on the night but also allowed eight walks.
- Andrew Eyster is now hitting .387 in his last 10 games with three doubles and 10 RBI.
UP NEXT
Carolina starts a big three-game series with Kentucky this Friday (May 10) at 7 p.m. at Founders Park. The game will be televised on SEC Network.
