Baseball Defeats Mercer to Open Three-Game Series

COLUMBIA – The University of South Carolina baseball team opened its three-game series with Mercer with a 5-1 win Friday night (March 5) at Founders Park.
 
Each team had six hits on the night, but the Gamecocks had three of the extra-base variety, including a two-run home run from Braylen Wimmer in the fourth, his fourth of the season. Mercer answered with a run in the fourth, but Carolina responded with two in the fifth on an RBI single by Andrew Eyster and a bases loaded hit by pitch to Colin Burgess.
 
The scoring ended in the seventh as David Mendham drove in Wes Clarke with a sacrifice fly to center.
 
Thomas Farr picked up the win for the Gamecocks, striking out five and allowing six hits and a run with three walks in 5.1 innings pitched. Andrew Peters came on and did not allow a hit in 2.2 innings of relief, striking out five. Jack Mahoney pitched a perfect ninth as the Gamecocks moved to 8-0 on the year.
 
Eyster had two hits to lead the Carolina offense, while Clarke scored two runs and Wimmer drove in a pair.
 
POSTGAME NOTES

• Carolina moves to 8-0 on the year for the first time since the 2016 season.
• Andrew Peters now has 12 strikeouts in seven innings of work. He has allowed just one hits and walked one in 2021.
• Wes Clarke reached base three times in tonight’s game with a single and two walks. His on-base percentage is now at .700.
• Andrew Eyster now has a hit in six straight games.

UP NEXT
Carolina and Mercer continue its three-game set on Saturday (March 6) at 4 p.m. at Founders Park. The game will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.