Clarke's Three Homers Highlight Midweek Win over Winthrop

COLUMBIA – The University of South Carolina baseball team belted seven home runs, three from Wes Clarke, in a 12-4 win over Winthrop Tuesday night (Feb. 23) at Founders Park.
 
The seven home runs in a game is the most by the Gamecocks since a win over Winthrop in 2010. Clarke was joined by Andrew Eyster, Braylen Wimmer, David Mendham and Josiah Sightler as the Gamecocks erupted for nine runs in the last four innings of play.
 
Clarke was a perfect 3-for-3 with four runs scored, three RBI and two walks in becoming the first Gamecock to hit three home runs in a game since Justin Smoak did the trick against USC Upstate in 2008. Sightler went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI while Wimmer, Jeff Heinrich, Eyster and Mendham had two hits apiece in the 15-hit outburst.
 
The eighth inning had four home runs. Wimmer, Clarke and Mendham went back-to-back-to-back, the first time that has happened from the Gamecocks since they hit five straight home runs in the 2006 Athens Super Regional vs. Georgia.
 
On the mound, John Gilreath earned the win in relief, going 1.1 innings with two strikeouts. Will Sanders picked up the start, striking out six in 2.2 innings. Carolina’s pitchers struck out 17 Eagles on the night.
 
POSTGAME NOTES

• In four games, Wes Clarke is hitting .769 with 11 runs scored, two doubles, six home runs, 12 RBI and a 2.308 slugging percentage. Clarke also has reached base 85 percent of the time.
• Carolina now has 14 home runs in four games played.
• Jack Mahoney struck out four in 1.2 innings of relief. Mahoney now has five strikeouts in 2.2 innings pitched.
• Sightler also pitched a perfect ninth with two strikeouts.

UP NEXT
Carolina faces Clemson at Doug Kingsmore Stadium Friday afternoon (Feb. 26) at 4 p.m. The game will be televised on ACC Network Extra.