Baseball Clinches Series over Sacred Heart with 1-Hit Shutout

COLUMBIA  – Matthew Becker and Ryder Garino combined to strike out 13 batters and allow just one hit and the University of South Carolina baseball team plated runs in five of its six frames in a 14-0, 7-inning win over Sacred Heart Saturday afternoon (Feb. 15) at Ray Tanner Field at Founders Park.

Becker struck out nine, including his 200^th career strikeout, to earn the win. He did not allow a walk and gave up just one hit in the shutout. Garino had four punchouts in the final two frames.

Carolina scored three runs in the first, two in the second, sixth in the fourth, two in the fifth and a final run in the sixth. Nolan Nawrocki had an RBI double in the third and Ethan Petry had a two-run double in the gap in right in the fourth. The Gamecocks also drew 11 walks on the day.

Newcomers Jase Woita, Beau Hollins and Gavin Braland picked up their first career hits as a Gamecock, while Cayden Gaskin and KJ Scobey had their first RBI’s of their career.

POSTGAME NOTES

• Carolina has now won 27 straight series to open a season.
• Becker earned his 12^th career win as a Gamecock and now has 208 career strikeouts.
• Carolina pitching has 29 strikeouts in the first two games of the season.
• Before today’s game, there was a ceremony to dedicate Ray Tanner Field at Founders Park. The ceremony included many of his players from his coaching days.

UP NEXT
Carolina and Sacred Heart wrap up the three-game set on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 16) with a noon first pitch. The game will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.