Baseball Opens 2021 Season with Win over Dayton

COLUMBIA – The trio of Brady Allen, Wes Clarke and Andrew Eyster combined to go 9-for-10 with eight RBI and Thomas Farr struck out eight in a six-inning start as the University of South Carolina baseball team opened 2021 with a 12-1 win over Dayton Friday night (Feb. 19) at Founders Park.
 
Allen, Clarke and Eyster each had three hits on the night. Allen was a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs scored, Clarke went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, four RBI and a three-run home run in the first while Eyster was 3-for-4 with four RBI, all on a grand slam in the third.
 
Clarke homered with Allen and Brennan Milone on base in the first. The round tripper went to straightaway center field. Eyster’s grand slam in the third landed in the Carolina bullpen in right field.
 
Colin Burgess added three RBI on a 2-for-4 night. The Gamecocks had 15 hits for the day, including five doubles, two triples and a pair of home runs.
 
Farr allowed five hits and a run in six innings, walking a pair and striking out eight to pick up his fourth career win at Carolina.
 
POSTGAME NOTES

• The Gamecocks played their first game in 346 days today vs. Dayton. The last time of the 2020 season was March 10 in a 10-1 win over The Citadel.
• Andrew Eyster’s grand slam was the first by a Gamecock since Wes Clarke did the trick vs. Northwestern on Feb. 22, 2020.
• Farr was followed by a trio of freshman pitchers, Magdiel Cotto, Jackson Phipps and Jack Mahoney. Each pitched a scoreless inning, allowing a combined one hit.
• Carolina improves to 88-41 in season openers and has won two straight lidlifters.
• Eight Gamecocks had a hit in the win.
• David Mendham made his first career start at Carolina, hitting fourth and playing first base.
• This was the first meeting on the diamond between Carolina and Dayton.
• The last time the Gamecocks had two triples in a game was April 23, 2019 when the Gamecocks had three triples, two by Brady Allen.

UP NEXT
Carolina and Dayton continue the three-game series Saturday afternoon (Feb. 20) at 1 p.m. at Founders Park.