Baseball Slugs Five Home Runs in Series-Clinching Win over Dayton
Wes Clarke had a pair of home runs and drove in five in the 12-5 win over the Flyers.
COLUMBIA – The University of South Carolina baseball team belted five home runs on the day and the pitching staff combined to allow just three hits as the Gamecocks clinched the season-opening series with a 12-5 win over Dayton Saturday afternoon (Feb. 20) at Founders Park.
Wes Clarke had two of the five home runs, going 3-for-4 with five RBI. Braylen Wimmer, Colin Burgess and Brady Allen each had a home run. Wimmer’s was a two-run shot in the second while Burgess and Allen had solo blasts.
Brannon Jordan started the game on the mound for Carolina. He went four-plus innings, allowing two hits and three earned runs with four walks and four strikeouts. Andrew Peters picked up the win in relief, pitching two hitless innings with three strikeouts.
Wimmer joined David Mendham with two hits on the day, part of an 11-hit attack for the Garnet and Black.
Dayton got as close as 6-5 in the fifth and had runners on second and third with two out, but Josiah Sightler got Jay Curtis to strike out to end the threat. Peters, John Gilreath and Will Sanders then went four hitless innings to preserve the win.
POSTGAME NOTES
- The Gamecocks hit five home runs on the day. The last time Carolina had five home runs in a game was vs. Utah Valley on Feb. 24, 2019. Brady Allen had a home run in both games.
- Wes Clarke is now 6-for-7 with six runs scored, three home runs and nine RBI after two games in 2021.
- Wimmer was a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate, adding a bunt single in his first start of 2021.
- Carolina has now clinched a series win, its 23rd straight series win in an opening weekend.
- Will Sanders made his Carolina debut, pitching a scoreless ninth inning.
- Andrew Peters picked up his first win in a Gamecock uniform.
- Fifteen of Carolina’s 26 hits after two games have been extra-base hits (six doubles, two triples, seven home runs).
UP NEXT
Carolina and Dayton wrap up opening weekend on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 21) with a noon first pitch at Founders Park.
