Clarke's Blast, Bullpen Lifts Baseball Past Furman in 12 Innings
Wes Clarke's 2-run home run and eight hitless innings from the bullpen lead to a 3-1 win over the Paladins.
GREENVILLE – Cam Tringali threw five innings of hitless relief with seven strikeouts and Wes Clarke belted a two-run home run in the top of the 12th in a 3-1 win over Furman Tuesday night (March 3) at Fluor Field.
Furman started the scoring in the bottom of the second on Jake Crawford’s leadoff solo home run. Carolina came back in the top of the fifth as Colin Burgess doubled to center and scored on Jeff Heinrich’s triple to the gap in right.
The game stayed tied at one until the top of the 12th. Noah Myers led off the inning with a walk and trotted home on Clarke’s sixth home run of the season, an opposite field shot to right.
Tringali was part of a Carolina bullpen that did not allow a hit in eight innings of work. Graham Lawson went two innings and did not allow a hit and TJ Shook struck out a batter in the 12th to pick up his second save of the season. Parker Coyne started for the Gamecocks, striking out four and allowed three hits and a run in four innings of work.
At the plate, Clarke, Heinrich and Burgess had a pair of hits apiece in the win. Carolina had 10 hits on the night.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Tringali lowered his ERA to 3.86 on the season and now has 11 punchouts in 9.1 innings pitched this season.
- Clarke now leads the team in home runs (6) and RBI (17).
- Shook has allowed just two hits in 7.2 innings pitched with 14 strikeouts on the year.
- Carolina is a perfect 3-0 in midweek games this season.
- The Gamecocks held Furman to just three hits on the night.
UP NEXT
Carolina returns to Founders Park, weather permitting, to start an eight-game homestand Wednesday night (March 4) as the Gamecocks welcome Boston College of the ACC. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.
