Baseball Clinches Series Win over Florida with 4-1 Triumph
Wes Clarke belted a three-run home run and Brannon Jordan struck out nine in seven innings to earn the win.
COLUMBIA – Brannon Jordan struck out nine in seven innings of work and Wes Clarke belted a three-run home run as the University of South Carolina baseball team defeated Florida 4-1 Saturday afternoon (March 27) at Founders Park.
Jordan did not allow an earned run and only had one walk, which was intentional, in the seven frames to improve to 2-2 on the year. Brett Kerry earned his second save of the season, striking out three in two innings of relief.
Florida took a 1-0 lead in the second on a Kris Armstrong double that scored Sterlin Thompson. The game remained that way until the fifth. Braylen Wimmer doubled to left center with one out. Josiah Sightler then walked to bring up Clarke, who hit his 12th home run of the year, an opposite-field shot, to make it 3-1. Carolina added insurance in the eighth on a George Callil sacrifice fly to left to score David Mendham.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Florida hit six Gamecocks this afternoon, which set a Carolina record. The Gamecocks had been hit five times on four occasions.
- Carolina now has clinched a series win over Florida, its first since 2011 and first at home since 2008.
- Clarke now has 26 RBI after 21 games.
- Wimmer is hitting .391 in five conference games this season.
- Jordan has 47 strikeouts in 30 innings pitched this year.
UP NEXT
Carolina and Florida conclude the three-game set Sunday afternoon (March 28) at noon at Founders Park. The game will be televised on SEC Network.
